The 2026 college football season is a short few weeks away, but it’s still the offseason. So, as a result, social media must be abuzz with hypotheticals and what ifs. Each month, it seems, someone suggests that there be a Big Ten-SEC Challenge, much like the Big Ten-ACC Challenge in men’s basketball.
We may get something like this when we get the College Football Super League (we say mostly tongue-in-cheek…), but it’s not feasible right now. But what if it were? Let’s stack up the 16 SEC teams against the top 16 Big Ten teams (sorry, Purdue and Michigan State) and give our totally objective and not-at-all Big Ten-biased take.
If you want an SEC approach, check out Craig McMichael’s take.
How Would a Big Ten-SEC Football Challenge Go?
Indiana vs. Georgia
The reigning champs draw the SEC champs in his exercise, naturally. The Bulldogs are great and will likely challenge for a top seed in this year’s College Football Playoff. Of course, for as incredible as the SEC purports to be, it still hasn’t had a single participant in a national championship for three seasons. The Big Ten, meanwhile, has taken home each of the last three.
Curt Cignetti has earned the benefit of the doubt heading into this year. Despite losing plenty to the NFL, the Hoosiers reloaded with the portal and have begun to figure out high school recruiting.
The best of the Big Ten is better than the best of the SEC.
Winner: Indiana
Ohio State vs. Alabama
This is a matchup of programs seemingly heading in opposite directions. Ohio State loses two games, and the sky is falling. Alabama loses four, including getting shellacked by Georgia and Indiana, and gives Kalen DeBoer a seven-year extension. As the Hoosiers showed in the Rose Bowl, people don’t fear the Ride as they did in the Nick Saban era.
Ohio State has the most talent on offense and will likely reload with another top-five defense thanks to Matt Patricia. The Buckeyes should be able to get the job done against Bama. They’ll face a tougher test in Week 2 of this year.
Winner: Ohio State
Oregon vs. Ole Miss
The Tamper Bowl. Pete Golding and Ole Miss have been marred in all kinds of tampering allegations this offseason while trying to keep things together with Lane Kiffin’s bolting. Oregon has been playing with an unlimited money glitch for a few seasons as Nike owner Phil Knight continues to want a title before he goes.
The Rebels will be good this year…but Oregon may have the most talented roster from top to bottom this year. Play this game on campus, and the Ducks win. Play it in the postseason…
Winner: Oregon
Michigan vs. Texas A&M
The top of the Big Ten is better than the top of the SEC. But now, we are starting to get into the mid programs for both. Michigan fired Sherrone Moore for a litany of reasons, but they hired the perfect firefighter to put out the dumpster fire in Ann Arbor. Texas A&M, meanwhile, has been a top-half SEC program for a while, but it hasn’t been able to put it together. Mike Elko is a great coach, so maybe the Aggies should have given him the blank championship trophy instead of Jimbo Fisher.
Michigan doesn’t have a quarterback. The Aggies get the SEC on the board.
Winner: Texas A&M
USC vs. Texas
20 years have passed since that historic Rose Bowl between these two programs. Time flies, doesn’t it? Heading into 2026, this could actually one of the best matchups of the Big Ten-SEC Challenge. Arch Manning is set to continue his upward trajectory and will have plenty of firepower on offense. Jayden Maiava gets to quarterback a Lincoln Riley offense again this year, but the Trojans have to replace a pair of NFL-bound receivers.
All in all, we have to lean Longhorns here.
Winner: Texas
Iowa vs. Oklahoma
In what would likely be the lowest-scoring matchup of the Big Ten-SEC Challenge, points would be at a premium. Iowa is consistently great on defense, as is Oklahoma. The offenses are a bit more inconsistent. When it comes to these kinds of matchups, you have to defer to the quarterback play. Iowa is still deciding who its quarterback will be. Oklahoma, meanwhile, has the exciting gunslinger, John Mateer.
Winner: Oklahoma
Illinois vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt won 10 games last year for the first time in program history. Illinois has been surprisingly solid over the last few years under Brett Bielema. This would be a great matchup, assuming Vandy can keep up its better-than-you’d-expect play. However, the Commodores either don’t have a quarterback or they’re starting a first-year quarterback they pulled from Georgia’s recruiting class.
Illinois is 2-0 over the last two seasons against mid-tier SEC teams. Beating Tennessee in 2025 and South Carolina in 2024 would seem more difficult than beating Vandy in 2026.
Winner: Illinois
Minnesota vs. Missouri
Minnesota seems to be on an upward trajectory under P.J. Fleck. The Gophers won eight games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013 and 2014. Missouri has been the miraculous “ranked win” on every SEC contender’s schedule because, despite not ever really beating anyone of note to that point, Mizzou tends to have a number next to its name.
Drake Lindsey is in year two as a starter for Minny, so he should be taking a step forward in his development. There is already plenty of NFL Draft hype around him.
Winner: Minnesota
Washington vs. Tennessee
Despite what they may say on social media, Tennessee is mid-tier SEC at best. It usually has NFL-bound players everywhere on the roster who end up not being able to do much at the next level, and can’t get the job done at the college level. Meanwhile, how will Washington do with the whole Demond Williams situation from this offseason? Washington is better than folks think, and it should be able to get the win in this one.
Winner: Washington
Nebraska vs. LSU
Even if LSU is half as good as Kiffin seems to think, this matchup isn’t fair.
Winner: LSU
Northwestern vs. Florida
Now it’s time to get into the sicko matchups. Dave Braun seems to be building something at Northwestern, but there may be a ceiling to how good the Wildcats can be. Florida, however, finally hired the guy after finally hiring the guy after finally hiring the guy, and you get it. Jon Sumrall is a great coach, so we will see if the Gators’ second consecutive dip into the Sun Belt will actually work out. In this matchup, the Gators should be too talented.
Winner: Florida
UCLA vs. Kentucky
Neither UCLA nor Kentucky has given fans anything to cheer for on the gridiron. These are two basketball schools that made football head coaching changes, so all bets are off. Last year, UCLA was dreadful…until it wasn’t. Nico Iamaleava is back and has seemingly taken a step. However, this comes down to whether you believe in Bob Chesney or Will Stein.
Let’s go with the guy who made the CFP with G6 players and scored 34.
Winner: UCLA
Penn State vs. Auburn
Another matchup of programs that made coaching changes. Penn State was, without a doubt, the most disappointing program last year. Auburn has been disappointing every year. Since its flash-in-the-pan title, Auburn has won 10 games once and has lost seven games in five consecutive seasons. Alex Golesh has hit work cut out for him, but can Matt Campbell win in the Big Ten with Iowa State players? Maybe that’s optimistic, but the Nittany Lions should be able to win this pillow fight.
Winner: Penn State
Rutgers vs. Mississippi State
“Well, the Big Ten has Rutgers.” “Well, the SEC has Mississippi State.” The bowl of perennial bottom-dwellers features a handful of impressive talents despite an overall disappointing season. With KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond, two of the best in the Big Ten at their respective positions, the Scarlet Knights should be able to get the win.
Winner: Rutgers
Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
Historically, Wisconsin has been a better program. However, of late, it hasn’t been great. Luke Fickell was on the hottest seat in the Big Ten last year and somehow survived. The 4-8 Badgers had the second-worst scoring offense in college football. South Carolina, meanwhile, disappointed last year, but it has the obvious advantage at quarterback.
Winner: South Carolina
Maryland vs. Arkansas
Finally, a pillow fight between the worst SEC team and the third-worst Big Ten team. Arkansas has not quite given us much reason to believe that it is building toward much. Maryland nearly fired its coach after last year, but elected to give him a little more leash. Malik Washington looks to be an exciting young quarterback, so if he takes a step this year, the Terps should be better.
Winner: Maryland
