Copyright cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — College football’s most heated rivalry might not be happening on the field this season, but rather in television boardrooms and media narratives. As Ohio State steamrolls toward the College Football Playoff at 7-0, the latest Buckeye Talk podcast discussed bias shown toward the SEC in the national conversation — even as evidence mounts that the Big Ten might be college football’s best conference. “This team is shaping up to be a potential super team, and no one is riding them like a dominant SEC team. And it’s infuriating,” a frustrated Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber voiced, which co-host Stephen Means shared on the podcast. Latest Ohio State Buckeyes news Why Ohio State’s psychological edge against Michigan might finally be restored Jets owner Woody Johnson sounds off on Justin Fields: ‘It’s hard when you have a QB with the rating that we’ve got’ Jeremiah Smith, Brian Hartline and Ohio State’s only offensive flaw: Buckeye Talk podcast Ohio State men’s basketball lands 5-star in-state recruit Anthony Thompson The response from Means revealed the financial realities driving these narratives. “CBS and Fox have no reason, no incentive to talk about the SEC,” Means said. “ESPN has no incentive or reason to want to talk about the Big Ten. Is that right? Probably not. Is it weird? Yes, it’s weird. But that’s what this is, right? You’ve got to promote your product.” The take pulls back the curtain on how television rights shape national narratives. ESPN, having lost Big Ten broadcasting rights to FOX, CBS and NBC, now focuses its attention on its prized SEC package. The result? A systematic elevation of SEC accomplishments while downplaying or dismissing comparable Big Ten achievements. This media environment has created a situation where historically mediocre programs like Indiana rising to elite status are treated with skepticism, while even average SEC teams receive the benefit of the doubt. Means pointed to comments from former Alabama coach Nick Saban as the perfect encapsulation of this thinking. “Nick Saban was talking about how he cannot wrap his mind around the idea that Vanderbilt is good at football because they were just the game that was a gimme,” Means said. “(He) can’t wrap his head around the idea that a top 10 team in the country right now is good at football because it’s not what he’s used to.” His message to Saban and other SEC loyalists was blunt: “Wrap your head around it. Vanderbilt’s good. Indiana’s good.” The conversation highlights how dramatically NIL rules, transfer portal freedom and revenue sharing have transformed college football. Programs like Indiana, historically at the bottom of power conference standings, can now compete by allocating resources effectively and finding the right coaching fit — as IU has with Curt Cignetti, who has lost just two games in his tenure. Meanwhile, the podcast noted that the Big Ten features three legitimate national title contenders in Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana, while the SEC struggles to identify a single team playing at a truly elite level so far this season. For Ohio State fans, the frustration is particularly acute as they watch their team dominating opponents with a defense allowing just 5.9 points per game — yet still catching strays about its schedule. Here’s the podcast for this week:
