Goodman: The SEC has a new daddy

This is an opinion column.

The SEC has a new daddy, and he is a head coach residing in Indiana—and no, I am not talking about Notre Dame.

It is far worse than that. The militaristic leader of a formerly woeful Indiana University program has taken it upon himself to treat Southern football with the intensity of the Great Santini. It is a level of disrespect that is truly devastating to the Southern football ego.

The New Reality in the Big Ten

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti entered the SEC vs. Big Ten preseason battle royale this Wednesday and effectively bent the Southern league over his knee. As a Southern writer, it is difficult to digest, but Cignetti’s recent commentary stung nearly as badly as the Hoosiers’ 38-3 dismantling of Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

Cignetti’s argument? The Big Ten refuses to rely on the “hype machine” culture he perceives in the South. “We don’t run a hype machine in the Midwest,” Cignetti declared. “We believe everything is earned, not given. When we fall short, we say we fell short. We don’t cry a river and whine and complain, all right? And that’s why we’re the best.”

Sankey’s Defense and the Changing Tide

The SEC, however, remains unbowed. During SEC Media Days, Commissioner Greg Sankey touted the league's massive reach, noting that Southeastern Conference football remains the second most-watched sports property in the United States, behind only the NFL. He pointed to an average of 80,000 fans per game as a benchmark of dominance.

Yet, Cignetti seems to derive a strange, sadistic pleasure from challenging that dominance at every turn. It is hard not to look back at Nick Saban’s influence; Cignetti famously opted to coach at lower-division IUP rather than stay under Saban’s wing at Alabama. Now, he is on an absolute tear across the Big Ten.

The Path Ahead

Indiana’s path isn't getting any quieter, though their early-season schedule is certainly debatable. Before hitting a major test against Ohio State on Oct. 17, the Hoosiers face North Texas, Howard, Western Kentucky, Northwestern, Rutgers, and Nebraska. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s pre-Indiana slate features Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Michigan State, and Maryland. While the Big Ten is chest-thumping, these opening schedules are objectively thin.

Still, the momentum is undeniable. After three different Big Ten schools secured national championships in the last three seasons, the league is feeling emboldened. Commissioner Tony Petitti added fuel to the fire, highlighting that the Big Ten has bested the SEC in four consecutive College Football Playoff matchups. Furthermore, the Big Ten boasts 11 victories by seven different teams in the 12-team playoff era, compared to the SEC’s five.

As noted previously on 205focus, some suggest the Big Ten has better coaches than the SEC. It is a bitter pill to swallow, even if the SEC likely remains deeper on paper. But as doubt creeps into the foundation of the South, Cignetti continues to act as the hurricane.

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