The question of which is the superior conference, the Big Ten or the SEC, has been asked enough times for us all to be familiar with the basic tenants of the debate: the SEC is faster and more exciting, the Big Ten has more tradition; the SEC has more national championships in recent years, the Big Ten has the winningest team in college football history (Michigan); the SEC is deeper, the Big Ten has more Heisman Trophy winners, etc. etc. etc.  It is easy to look up the relevant statistics to support either side of the argument—but its far more fun to debate the atmospheric, historic, social and geographical differences than to analyze some stodgy numbers.  In this spirit I offer you a list of reasons to help prove why the Big Ten is an overall better conference than the SEC.  These are in no particular order, and I’ve only offered the first few to wet your appetite—more reasons to come as the season progresses.

1. Distinct seasons.  The SEC can keep its perpetual sunshine and humidity—and the resultant sunburns, wrinkles and prematurely-aged skin, for that matter.  In the Midwest, Big Ten students and athletes enjoy four distinct seasons.  Would you rather struggle to walk—in requisite shirt-and-tie, mind you—to an SEC stadium in stagnant 110 degree heat, sweat-soaked and eyes blurry from the stinging salty discharge, or walk through Ann Arbor on the way to the Big House with the refreshing breeze of a temperate Midwest fall day at your back?  Give me the latter any day of the week, and especially on football Saturday.

2. BTN.  Those who affiliate themselves with the SEC may not be familiar with this acronym, but any Wolverine, Buckeye or Hoosier recognizes those three letters as a manifestation of our conference’s importance and position in the conscious of the national media.  BTN stands for the Big Ten Network—an entire television channel devoted solely to Big Ten sports and programming—the first of its kind.  It’s all Big Ten, all the time.

3. Better rivalries.  Well, ok, perhaps I shouldn’t pluralize here, but definitely better rivalry.  Yeah yeah, we all know Alabama-Auburn is a mildly-exciting annual match-up that the SEC likes to tout as one of the last great rivalries.  Well, the SEC can keep their intra-state spat; the Big Ten boasts the single greatest rivalry in all of college sports: Michigan vs. Ohio State.  A timeless matchup that has characterized the legacies of such great coaches, such icons in the history of college football, as Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.  Michigan vs. OSU is a rivalry whose origins are in war—actual inter-state combat over Toledo—true hate, perpetuated through football, passed down from year to year, and revisited for one glorious Saturday every November.  It just doesn’t get more intense than that.

Like I said, this is not a comprehensive list.  These are the first few obvious Big Ten advantages that come to mind—stay tuned for more as the season gets under way this Saturday—I’ll be watching Michigan take on the Utes in the Big House.  Game on.