Essentially the most mind-blowing final result of the School Soccer Playoff contained in the teaching world wasn’t Miami bullying Ohio State; it was the best way Indiana dominated Alabama within the Rose Bowl.
A number of coaches The Athletic spoke to this weekend weren’t shocked that Indiana dealt with Alabama. In spite of everything, the Hoosiers have been virtually a double-digit favourite. It was how the sport unfolded. They mauled the Tide 38-3, outrushing them, 215-23.
“That ain’t an Alabama protection,” mentioned a Energy 4 offensive coordinator, who used one of the crucial damning phrases a coach can evoke about one other soccer crew: comfortable.
“In the end,” the coach continued, “and that is y’all’s job, not my job, however there must be an analysis of this narrative of the SEC is these large, dangerous m————, as a result of they’re getting their asses whipped in these video games.”
Is that true?
Sure. The Playoff semifinals on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 function two Large Ten groups (Indiana and Oregon), one ACC crew (Miami) and one SEC crew (Ole Miss). Extra broadly throughout bowl video games, the “It Simply Means Extra” convention is on the backside of the Energy 4 leagues in information, trailing the Large Ten (9-4), the ACC (8-4) and the Large 12 (4-4). In bowl video games by way of this weekend, the SEC is 2-7 in opposition to groups from different conferences. The SEC crew was favored in seven of these 9 video games. The SEC is 4-9 general.
5 years in the past, when Alabama blew out Ohio State 52-24 within the nationwide title sport, the SEC went 7-2, whereas the Large Ten went 3-2. The ACC was 0-6, the Large 12 5-0. The yr earlier than, when LSU beat Clemson to win the title, the SEC was 8-2, the Large Ten was 4-5, the Large 12 was 1-5, and the ACC was 4-7.
It wasn’t stunning to see the SEC constantly successful when it confronted groups from different leagues, when it had a run of successful 13 of 17 nationwide titles from 2006 to 2022. However a seismic shift had begun to happen within the sport as Georgia was successful back-to-back nationwide titles in 2021 and 2022.
Bret Bielema knew what life was like within the meat grinder that was the SEC. He led Wisconsin to 3 top-10 finishes in seven years within the Large Ten earlier than taking on at Arkansas, the place he struggled in 5 seasons, going 29-34. After three seasons teaching within the NFL, he got here again to the Large Ten as Illinois’ head coach in 2021. Regardless that the Illini hadn’t had a successful season in 9 years, Bielema’s timing was ultimate.
“The world that has been created by way of NIL, income share and the portal that we function in now has erased the constraints to a sure degree,” Bielema advised The Athletic on Saturday, just a few days after his Illini defeated Tennessee within the Music Metropolis Bowl. “I do know this: Earlier than I got here right here, we’d by no means overwhelmed an SEC crew in our historical past, and we’ve now overwhelmed two back-to-back (in bowl video games).”
Title, picture and likeness started in the summertime of 2021. That, coupled with the ramping up of the switch portal (established in 2018) as NCAA guidelines modified to permit gamers extra flexibility to maneuver with out sitting out a yr, has been a sport changer.
The retirement of arguably faculty soccer’s best coach, Alabama’s Nick Saban, was a intestine punch to the gold customary of the game in Tuscaloosa. Saban mentioned the altering local weather across the sport prompted him to step down when he did.
“The fact is that this, there have been some very well-known, very profitable coaches that have been having numerous success when the NIL was unlawful,” mentioned the Energy 4 offensive coordinator. “Effectively, now NIL is authorized. I noticed what (former LSU head coach Ed) Orgeron mentioned about how now you’ll be able to stroll by way of the entrance door with the cash. Effectively, now the gamers are going in all places.”
Stated one Large Ten assistant coach this weekend: “Onerous to disregard the truth that when everybody received to pay gamers, it leveled the enjoying subject instantly. They’ll deny all they need, however that’s a truth.”
Earlier than NIL and the portal grew to become so prolific, Alabama and Georgia — the SEC’s two greatest heavyweights — stockpiled expertise. That’s a lot more durable to do now.
“I undoubtedly don’t suppose this can be a one-off,” mentioned SEC Community analyst Cole Cubelic, a former Auburn offensive lineman.
“They’re simply not as stacked,” Cubelic continued. “Georgia has gamers which can be nearly as good as these guys have been on these (nationwide championship) groups, however the second and third waves aren’t practically nearly as good as what was on these groups. I used to wish to watch blowouts with Saban’s groups as a result of I needed to look at that subsequent wave of men. I’ve a vivid reminiscence of watching the movie of them enjoying in Knoxville. This lighter defensive sort out, No. 93, was chasing a display 30 yards downfield. I’m like, who is that this man? It’s (future first-rounder) Jonathan Allen. When Georgia misplaced (standout offensive lineman) Tate Ratledge (to an ankle damage) final yr, their crew actually suffered. They didn’t have one other man to plug in, whereas in regular circumstances they might have.”
The expertise drain can also be obvious to NFL draft analysts.
“I’ve been doing this for over 15 years. It has all the time been the SEC clearly on the prime, the Large Ten second after which the opposite conferences taking turns for third,” mentioned Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s NFL draft analyst. “However there is no such thing as a query that the Large Ten has closed the hole, at the very least by way of producing NFL expertise. The SEC had extra top-50 draft picks final yr (21), however the Large Ten was solely three shy (18). And the margins is likely to be even nearer within the 2026 draft class.”
One Group of 5 head coach who has additionally been an SEC assistant pushed again on studying an excessive amount of into the postseason league information.
“I might pay zero consideration to the bowls,” he mentioned. “I believe they’re basically exhibition video games, however the Playoff does matter. I believe there are two explanation why issues have modified. Primary: The season is an excessive grind in that league. Different groups get to the Playoff lots brisker. Now, Ohio State didn’t get examined sufficient. However I believe different groups are getting examined three or 4 occasions throughout the season, whereas the SEC groups are having to actually play six or seven. The physicality of all of it, over the course of (the season), wears on guys. Accidents and fatigue set in, and it’s solely gonna worsen as a result of now you’re going from eight league video games to 9.
“The second cause: The SEC is hurting itself as a result of everybody in that league is resourced nicely now. Kentucky is like thirteenth or 14th finest amongst these 16 groups. Within the ACC, they is likely to be third or fourth. Within the Large 12, they’d most likely be proper behind BYU. When everyone’s spending $25 million within the SEC, there’s extra parity. Now, there’s not as a lot depth. However to me, it’s actually unfold out on the O-line and D-line. All the highest groups now even have a weak hyperlink someplace, and that didn’t was once the case.
“There’s no query to me. (The SEC) continues to be the very best league, however I don’t suppose there’s one or two packages which can be simply dominant. I believe they’re hurting themselves.”
A Group of 5 defensive coordinator who used to educate within the SEC took a protracted view of the convention’s successes.
“The SEC grew to become actually related when USC and Miami received into hassle again within the day,” he mentioned. “Then the SEC was actually capable of get into Florida and was ready get into the West and Texas, capable of get children in. Now, with the NIL world coming in, that child in Florida or someplace else doesn’t must go to the SEC to have a greater way of life. Miami, rapidly, has change into related once more as a result of the amount of cash the college is paying is now up with everyone else. … Nick Saban’s the best coach of all time, however Nick knew what was coming down the pipe.”
Requested about different coaches’ rivalry that NIL being authorized is a giant issue for the shift, the Group of 5 head coach mentioned, “Now, there’s some fact to that too. I believe that’s correct.”
Illinois, which final winter beat a 9-3 South Carolina squad within the Citrus Bowl, has posted 19 wins the previous two seasons — probably the most it has over any two-season stretch at school historical past.
“I’ve all the time mentioned this: Generally these coaches which can be in scrapping and clawing to win seven, eight, 9 video games and infrequently can win 10, nicely, in the event that they ever received their alternative in one of many worlds the place it was really skewed the opposite manner, you can see life change in a rush,” Bielema mentioned. “Now, issues have change into extra balanced and so they can do some issues that nobody ever thought attainable.
“The people who find themselves having a tough time believing it nonetheless suppose it’s 2020. Neglect 2000 or 2005-10. It’s a very totally different world now. The world has flipped, and for all those that wish to dwell previously, they have been those who have been nice previously. The individuals who wish to dwell sooner or later and the world we’re in now are those who’re embracing success.”
Just a few weeks earlier than Bielema’s Illini beat Tennessee, his program additionally pulled off one other win away from the sphere, touchdown three-star working again Javari Barnett, who had been dedicated to Alabama.
“We flipped a child from Alabama on signing day,” mentioned Bielema. “When has that occurred? When it’s equal, it’s everyone’s sport, man.”
