From 2003-2022, the Southeastern Collegiate Conference won 14 of the 20 NCAA national football championships on offer. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, and more. No one could compete with the SEC for talent or organizational solidity. However, it seems there were some under-the-table dealings keeping the SEC on top. The introduction of NIL (name, image, likeness) and the updates made to the transfer portal have curbed SEC dominance and brought parity back to the college football ranks.
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While speaking on ESPN’s First Take on Friday—the day after No. 5 Notre Dame humbled an SEC team in No. 2 Georgia—Marcus Spears spoke about why the SEC is seeing a downturn. As a four-year starter and National Champion while playing for SEC program LSU from 2001-2005, Spears is specifically qualified to speak on the matter.
“There were guys on LSU’s roster when we were there that didn’t play, but were 1st-round picks in waiting. It was no question that they weren’t going to be 1st-round draft picks, really good players, superstars. These guys had to wait, because it was another Heisman Trophy winner, or another 1st-round draft pick in front of you.”
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While it might come as a shock to some with their heads under rocks, the crux of Spears’ argument is that, essentially, all schools are now on a level playing field when it comes to handing players lucrative NIL deals.
“This is how I explain the SEC to people. Your 2nd and 3rd guys can win Heismans and be 1st-round draft picks. That no longer exists. Those guys are going to other schools, starting early, and playing… That’s what has changed in the SEC and I don’t wanna hear nobody talk about the SEC and how people hate that they weren’t dominant. Their conference has won, like, 13 out of 15 National Championships. That’s the reality of where they were. The NIL and the transfer portal have changed that.”
Previously, it was largely (and allegedly, we must had) only SEC coaches and boosters paying players. At that point, this amounted to illegal underhanded deals to lure players to their programs. Now, players are getting completely legal multi-million dollar deals from schools to use their names and faces to market their football programs.
This year’s final four does still have an SEC representative with the No. 3 Texas Longhorns. However, they arguably seem the weakest of the quartet, as they barely snuck by a No. 12 Arizona State team from the comparatively weak Big 12 conference.
Many expect the Big 10’s No. 6 Ohio State (who are 6.0-point favorites) to take care of Texas. Meanwhile, another Big 10 program, No. 4 Penn State, will take on the independent No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the other College Football Playoff semifinal.
