Joel Klatt roasts SEC: Nick Saban isn’t there ‘with his big old coattails for you to ride as a conference’ The SEC’s long-held belief in its superiority is challenged by recent data showing the Big Ten has won three consecutive national championships. SEC teams performed poorly in the 2025-2026 bowl season and playoffs, leading analyst Joel Klatt to label the conference’s claims of dominance as ‘propaganda’ after Nick Saban’s departure.

• The Big Ten has won three consecutive college football national championships, coinciding with changes in NIL rules.
• The SEC has not reached the championship game since 2022.
• SEC teams had a 1-8 record against other conferences in the 2025-2026 bowl season and were 0-3 in the playoff.
• Analyst Joel Klatt disputes SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey’s claims of conference superiority, citing data that favors the Big Ten.
• Klatt suggests that the SEC can no longer rely on Nick Saban’s past success (‘big old coattails’) to maintain its perceived dominance.
• The Big Ten holds a 4-0 record against the SEC in the last three playoffs, which Klatt points to as clear evidence of a shift in power.
• Recent bowl game results also show a trend favoring the Big Ten over SEC teams.