The beef between the Big Ten & SEC keeps getting juicier.
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema criticized the SEC at Big Ten Media Days, claiming the conference aims to “live in 2005 forever.”
NEW: Illinois' Bret Bielema takes a shot at the SEC👀
"They want to live in 2005 forever."https://t.co/UhNJxzzZXq pic.twitter.com/3FPmubTuZ6
— On3 (@On3) July 28, 2026
The two superpowers of college football have spent the offseason trading jabs as the SEC is historically the best conference in college football, but the Big Ten has now won three national titles in a row.
SEC fans kept receipts, pointing out that Bielema has been a successful head coach at two Big Ten schools but struggled mightily at Arkansas with a 11-29 conference record.
Bret Bielema takes a shot at the SEC …
“They want to live in 2005 forever.”
Bret Bielema's record in the SEC from 2013-2017:
11 wins, 29 losses https://t.co/wwARcJgGgp
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) July 28, 2026
