Big Ten’s secret to hoarding trophies? Find elite college coaches, not elite complainers
The Big Ten has officially sealed its status as our new overlord. Not only has the league bumped the SEC off its longtime perch on top of college football. The league this week became the first to see three different members win national championships in football (Indiana), men’s basketball (Michigan) and women’s basketball (yes, UCLA counts) in the same school year.
Indiana and UCLA had never done so in their sports. Michigan hadn’t in 37 years. As if that’s not enough, Big Ten members have also won titles this year in women’s hockey (Wisconsin), men’s soccer (Washington), field hockey (Northwestern), wrestling (Penn State) and men’s water polo (UCLA) and have two schools (Michigan and Wisconsin) in this week’s men’s Frozen Four.
It’s no coincidence the league’s ascendance began around the same time NIL and the transfer portal completely transformed the way championship rosters are constructed. The obvious question is, why? It can’t just be that the Big Ten has more money than everyone else, because the Big Ten has always had more money than everyone else.
The dollar figures have just grown bigger. And its schools are limited to the same $20. 5 million rev share cap as everyone else.
Far more of those TV billions go toward paying the coaches than the players. Also, if money were the only reason schools have success, then Texas Tech would be your reigning champ in football and Kentucky in men’s basketball. And stop with, “Now the SEC isn’t the only one buying its players.
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