Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti weighed in on the Big Ten vs. SEC debate on Thursday.
On Wednesday, ESPN host Laura Rutledge made excuses for the SEC, after the Big Ten has won three straight College Football Playoff national championships. She claimed that the SEC has it harder than everyone else, because of how difficult their schedules are. The SEC is set to begin a 9-game conference schedule this season.
"The competition within [the SEC] is so difficult that 9 games of craziness week in and week out, a little different than other parts, other conferences. … Furthermore, they’re gassed," she told Pat McAfee and Co.
On Thursday, the defending national champions took the stage at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, Illinois.
Curt Cignetti made it clear that he believes the Big Ten, not the SEC, is the country's toughest conference.
The Indiana Hoosiers head coach added that when teams in the Midwest fall short, they don't make excuses or complain.
Cignetti sounds off on SEC foes
Cignetti made it clear that the Big Ten is the country's best conference. He added that in the conference, teams don't whine or make excuses.
"We don’t run a hype machine up here in the Midwest. We believe everything is earned, not given. When we fall short, we say we fell short. We don't cry a river and whine and complain. All right, and that's why we're the best," he said, sending a clear shot across the bow of the SEC.
The SEC likely won't take too kindly to that. However, after winning three straight College Football Playoff national championships, the Big Ten doesn't have much to worry about. They can do all of the talking that they like at this point.
It's the SEC that needs to catch up.
