Bret Bielema zings SEC saying conference ‘wants to live in 2005 forever’
By David Wasson
Published:
If Illinois coach Bret Bielema planned on making a Day 1 splash at Big Ten Media Days, he certainly hit the mark.
Bielema took a shot at the Southeastern Conference in front of the media Tuesday, in Chicago, proclaiming that the SEC wants to “live in 2005 forever” – an apparent reference to the pre-NIL/transfer portal landscape that has allowed other conferences, like the Big Ten, to catch up after the SEC’s dominant run of 13 national championships from 2006-22.
“I know (SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has) got to protect the SEC and they kind of want to live in 2005 forever, but I think the forward thinking of where we are in college football is an awesome thing,” Bielema said during his opening statement.
When asked to further expand, Bielema responded with “I think I just made the headline, right?”
Bielema has first-hand knowledge of the inner workings of the SEC, as he coached at Arkansas from 2013-17. Bielema has coached the Fighting Illini since 2021.
SEC teams captured 13 national championships from 2006-22, but Big Ten programs Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana have won the last three titles.
Illinois opens the 2026 season Sept. 3 at home against UAB (9 pm ET, Big Ten Network), and begins Big Ten play Sept. 26 at Ohio State.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
