Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti declared the league's dominance in college football, citing its recent postseason success. With three consecutive national title trophies beside him at Big Ten media days, Petitti highlighted the Big Ten's four-game CFP winning streak against the SEC and its 11 wins by seven different teams in the CFP era, surpassing the SEC's five. Illinois coach Bret Bielema playfully dismissed the SEC's claims of superiority, quipping, "They want to live in 2005 forever."

Petitti pushed back against the notion that the SEC possesses greater depth, emphasizing the Big Ten's preparation for the postseason and the difficulty of its regular-season schedule. He pointed out the Big Ten's 8-2 bowl record against the SEC in the past two years. Bielema further elaborated on how the transfer portal and player compensation have fundamentally changed the sport since 2005.

The commissioner also addressed potential conference realignments and the need for federal legislation to support college athletics. Petitti indicated a desire to schedule more regular-season games against the SEC and expressed that while a proposed Senate bill might not be perfect, he and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey are awaiting its details to determine potential support.