Big Ten Commissioner, Coaches Troll SEC After 3 CFB Titles, League Wants to 'Live in 2005 Forever'

To the victor go the spoils, and the Big Ten was happy to remind the SEC of that fact Tuesday during the start of its media days.

Never was that more apparent than when league commissioner Tony Petitti positioned his press conference right next to the Big Ten's three straight national championship trophies that Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana won.

But it was Illinois head coach Bret Bielema with the most memorable quote when he told reporters, "they want to live in 2005 forever" when discussing the SEC.

Petitti provided more proof than soundbite that his conference has defined the 12-team College Football Playoff era, pointing out that in addition to the three straight titles the Big Ten has also won four consecutive CFP games against the SEC. 

The Big Ten also counts 11 wins by seven different teams in the 12-team CFP era, which is well ahead of the five wins from the SEC.

"More than double the next-best league," Petitti said.

While much of the focus of the Big Ten's recent dominance has been about the titles the Wolverines, Buckeyes and Hoosiers took home, the conference has enjoyed an advantage beyond just the top teams.

In fact, it is 8-2 in bowl games against the SEC during the 12-team CFP era. 

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Bielema, who has experience coaching in both conferences with stops at Wisconsin and Arkansas before taking over at Illinois, knows that better than most considering his teams ended the last two seasons with bowl victories over South Carolina and Tennessee.

He also said "the whole world changed" with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness coming into play, adding that "I think anything to predate that is just a different time in college football."

Of course, the Big Ten also has those headline bragging rights at the top with those three title runs that all featured victories over the SEC.

Michigan and Indiana each beat Alabama during their respective championship runs, while Ohio State handed Tennessee and Texas losses on its way to a CFP title.

Until the SEC can change things on the field, the new era of college football with an expanded playoff field, NIL opportunities and the transfer portal belongs to the Big Ten.