The Twelve Days Before The College Football Playoff. Day 6: SEC vs. Big Ten
The one game in College Football Playoff history that has lived up to the very final play was #1 Alabama losing to #4 Ohio State 42-35 in the 2014-15 semifinals. That could happen again, but this time in the National Championship Game if both teams win on Saturday.
How have the SEC and Big Ten fared against each other this season?
In the only head-to-head matchup of the regular season, the Wisconsin Badgers defeated the LSU Tigers 16-14 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Saturday, September 3rd. So the Big Ten had a one to nothing lead over the SEC during the regular season.
The common opponents that the SEC and Big Ten played during the regular season were the BYU Cougars and the Kent State Golden Flashes:
Vs. Kent State
On Saturday, September 3rd, Kent State lost to Penn State 13-33 in State College, Pennsylvania. On Saturday, September 24th, Kent State again lost, this time to #1 Alabama 48-0 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Vs. BYU
On Saturday, October 8th, BYU defeated Michigan State 31-14 in East Lansing, Michigan. The very next week, on Friday, October 14th, Mississippi State went to BYU and lost 28-21 in double overtime.
The SEC and the Big Ten were both 1-1 in common opponent games.
In the three head-to-head and common opponent games, the SEC averaged 27.67 points per game and allowed 14.67 points per game for a point differential of +13 points.
The Big Ten, in three head-to-head and common opponent games they played averaged 21 points per game and allowed 19.33 points per game for a point differential of +1.67 points.
Clearly, the SEC was better in the regular season than the Big Ten because they scored more points and gave up fewer points than the Big Ten.
But if we throw out Alabama’s 48 to nothing win over Kent State, the SEC has a negative average point differential (in two games) while the Big Ten has a positive average point differential (in three games) which would make the Big Ten better.
And if it weren’t for Alabama, the SEC wouldn’t have a win against a Big Ten opponent or one of the SEC and Big Ten’s common opponents.
The SEC and Big Ten have not met up yet in a bowl game this postseason, but here are the upcoming bowl games that will be played between the two conferences:
December 30th: Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (Nissan Stadium; Nashville, Tennessee): Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3) vs. #21 Tennessee Volunteers (8-4), 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
January 2nd: Outback Bowl (Raymond James Stadium; Tampa, Florida): #17 Florida Gators (8-4) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4), 1 p.m. ET, ABC
