College football analyst Josh Pate believes the Big Ten versus SEC debate isn’t even close anymore.
The Big Ten has surpassed the SEC at the top level and is catching up in the middle tier, Pate said on a recent edition of “Josh Pate’s College Football Show”.
“The SEC is lagging behind the Big Ten, at the top,” Pate said. “I would even venture to suggest the middle-tier now is at least comparable if not slightly lagging behind.”
That’s a shift in his thinking. Pate said his perception has changed more about the middle of both conferences than the elite programs.
The reasoning goes deeper than just talent level.
Pate argues it doesn’t matter that Indiana currently leads the Big Ten. What matters is how Big Ten players approach the game differently than their SEC counterparts.
“Maybe the average Big Ten player is wired a little bit differently, maybe they focus a little more on the football aspect, the meat-and-potatoes aspect of football, instead of the more highlight-ish, branding aspect of football,” Pate said.
That mentality can’t be taught or studied, according to Pate.
It’s just there.
Pate acknowledges his argument might sound ridiculous. But he said that kind of thinking has been standard practice in the SEC for years, and he doesn’t see it happening in the Big Ten.
The narrative could shift back to the SEC eventually. Right now, though, the Big Ten keeps building momentum.
Indiana’s potential victory over Miami on Monday night would further support Pate’s case while SEC teams watch the playoffs from home.
The answer should become clearer soon.
