It’s an age-old debate that has been further ignited by the College Football Playoffs being decided by a committee. Which is tougher to play in, the SEC or the Big Ten?
Former Alabama safety and current Ohio State star Caleb Downs has played in both and at a high level. That gives him a better insight into which is truly tougher to play in than maybe anyone in the country. On an appearance on David Pollack’s podcast, he was asked to compare the conferences.
To Downs, the SEC was playing tough competition every single week. In the Big Ten, he admitted that it’s just four or five games that are at that level.
“I would definitely say like, SEC, you’re playing every weekend, you’re playing (competition), big (competition) every week,” Downs said. “That was something when I was at Alabama, it was every week playing, okay, Tennessee this week, got LSU next week, then we got Auburn. You’re playing dudes every week and that’s something you have to prepare your body for, prepare your mind for.
“I would say Big Ten, you’re gonna have four, five games maybe, where you’re going to have to play high-level competition and really be able to be at your highest point. That’s the difference. Then again, I said that when I first got to Ohio State, and then a lot of the teams that were in the Big Ten went to bowl games and ended up beating SEC teams.”
Caleb Downs gave me some GREAT perspective on playing in the Big Ten vs. playing in the SEC. pic.twitter.com/SJUj2ATTMd
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) December 5, 2025
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Downs played for Nick Saban at Alabama in 2023 in the legendary coach’s final season atop the Crimson Tide program. He earned SEC Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-SEC honors while winning the SEC Championship and falling in the four-team playoff.
After Saban retired, Downs entered the transfer portal to join Ohio State. In his first year with the team, he was an unanimous All-American en route to winning the national title with the Buckeyes. This year, he returned and won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Ohio State is currently the No. 1 team in the country, boasting a 12-0 record. He will look to claim the conference title against undefeated Indiana on Saturday night, as well, before beginning the hunt for another national title.
