At Big Ten media days, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema hit back at SEC figures, including former Alabama coach Nick Saban, accusing them of wanting to "live in 2005 forever" as the rivalry between the two conferences intensifies ahead of the 2026 college football season. His comments came in response to SEC media days, where several prominent figures had spent lengthy press conferences arguing that the SEC deserves to dominate the College Football Playoff field, with some proposing that the conference receive all 16 available spots.

The exchange reflects a growing power struggle between the Big Ten and SEC over how the expanded College Football Playoff should be structured and which conference wields greater influence in modern college football. Bielema's remarks suggest he views SEC arguments as outdated, rooted in a bygone era of the sport rather than its current landscape, though the article does not detail further specifics of his comments beyond the headline remark.