Urban Meyer, a prominent college football coach, believes the NIL era has created a system where smaller programs act as feeder systems for larger ones. He notes that talented players from smaller schools, like those in the MAC, are quickly poached by powerhouses like Alabama or USC. Meyer also asserts that the Big Ten has surpassed the SEC in terms of top-tier quality, pointing to recent national championship wins and improved recruiting. However, the SEC's depth remains a significant factor, making the overall conference superiority debatable.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.