‘If we’re in the SEC, we’d probably be a Top 15 team’: Bret Bielema takes shot at College Football Playoff committee
· Yahoo Sports
The Illinois Fighting Illini picked up their fourth straight win on Friday night, beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 24-13 to improve to 6-3 and clinch bowl eligibility. But in a season where the first College Football Playoff rankings were filled with SEC teams, Illinois has had a hard time getting much attention.
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After the game, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema took a dig at the committee and its treatment of the SEC. He suggested that his team would be getting a lot more respect if it played in a different conference.
SEC Dominates CFP Rankings
The first CFP rankings of the season were released on Tuesday, and the SEC claimed 10 of the 25 spots, more than any other conference. That came despite the SEC not having a single undefeated team, and six of its teams in the rankings having two losses.
Alabama drew the most criticism after debuting at No. 5 with two losses. The rankings didn’t sit well with Big Ten coaches, who were quick to point out what they see as a bias toward the SEC.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who has called the Big Ten the best conference in the country, accused the analysts on ESPN’s rankings show of following “the company line,” via Awful Announcing. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz also joked before the rankings came out that “we’re not ESPN, so we probably won’t make the rankings,” per Awful Announcing.
Illinois, meanwhile, has quietly put together another strong season. Quarterback Katin Houser threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns against Nebraska, with wide receiver Collin Dixon catching two of those touchdowns. The win gave the Illini a third straight bowl appearance for the first time since 1992.
‘We’d probably be a Top 15 team’
Bielema reflected on how far the program has come during his postgame press conference, before taking a shot at the rankings.
“I think about as we’re building things here at Illinois, now we’re three seasons in a row that we’ll have postseason play, which is absolutely awesome and really hard for anybody,” Bielema said, via Fighting Illini Athletics. “But to be in this job where we’re at right now, you know, 6-3 and we beat another 5-3 team, if we’re in the SEC, we’d probably be a Top 15 team, right?
“But we just got to continue to stay on track where we’re at and do a really good job of holding the moment and putting ourselves in a position to be successful.”
Later, when asked about making a third straight bowl game, Bielema made it clear that he has bigger goals in mind.
“With all due respect, like we’re eligible for postseason, there’s going to be, I think, a 9-3 football team get in the College Football Playoff, right?” Bielema said. “I appreciate it, but all I want to do is win this game.”
Illinois will try to keep its winning streak going next week when it travels to the Rose Bowl to face UCLA.
Needless to say, Bielema isn’t the only Big Ten coach who feels like the SEC is getting the benefit of the doubt.
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