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Earlier in the season, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema asked for an annual SEC/Big Ten Challenge.
Well, in a way he has one. It’ll take place over the course of three days from New Year’s Eve to Jan. 2 as the SEC has four bowl matchups with the Big Ten, more than any other conference this season. That includes a College Football Playoff semifinal tilt between No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Michigan State.
The SEC is favored in three of those four bowl games with the exception being Florida as a four-point underdog against Michigan.
That begs the question: How have SEC favorites fared against Big Ten underdogs? Well, below you’ll find every game in which an SEC team has been favored over a Big Ten opponent since 2010.
The SEC has faced the Big Ten in 26 total games over that span. It’s been favored in 20 of them while boasting a 14-6 record. However, the league was 11-3 from 2010-13 before going 3-3 since then.
Here’s each of the games where the SEC team was the favorite:
| YEAR | SEC FAVORITE | BIG TEN UNDERDOG | FAVORED BY | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Alabama | Wisconsin | 13 | Won by 18 |
| 2014 | Tennessee | Iowa | 3 | Won by 17 |
| 2014 | Alabama | Ohio State | 7.5 | Lost by 7 |
| 2014 | Auburn | Wisconsin | 6 | Lost by 3 |
| 2014 | Missouri | Indiana | 15 | Lost by 4 |
| 2014 | LSU | Wisconsin | 3.5 | Won by 4 |
| 2013 | LSU | Iowa | 7.5 | Won by 7 |
| 2013 | Georgia | Nebraska | 9.5 | Lost by 5 |
| 2013 | Missouri | Indiana | 3 | Won by 17 |
| 2012 | Alabama | Michigan | 14 | Won by 27 |
| 2012 | Vanderbilt | Northwestern | 3 | Lost by 10 |
| 2012 | South Carolina | Michigan | 5.5 | Won by 5 |
| 2011 | South Carolina | Nebraska | 2.5 | Won by 17 |
| 2011 | Georgia | Michigan State | 2.5 | Lost by 3 |
| 2011 | Florida | Ohio State | 3 | Won by 7 |
| 2011 | Alabama | Penn State | 10 | Won by 16 |
| 2010 | Mississippi State | Michigan | 3.5 | Won by 38 |
| 2010 | Florida | Penn State | 7 | Won by 13 |
| 2010 | Alabama | Michigan State | 8 | Won by 42 |
| 2010 | Alabama | Penn State | 14.5 | Won by 21 |
Here’s a breakdown of all matchups between the two conferences. Of the 26 clashes between the conferences since 2010, the SEC has gone 17-9, averaging 31.8 points per game to the Big Ten’s 21.7.
| YEAR | WINS | LOSSES | POINTS PER GAME | POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 35.0 | 17.0 |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 33.2 | 29.3 |
| 2013 | 3 | 1 | 29.8 | 22.5 |
| 2012 | 3 | 2 | 30.4 | 26.0 |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | 27.8 | 18.5 |
| 2010 | 4 | 2 | 34.8 | 17.0 |
Note: All odds are based on lines posted by Covers.com for the years of 2010-12 and Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook from 2013-15.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
