In a surprising shift that challenges the long-held narrative of SEC supremacy, the Big 12 Conference currently boasts a greater combined number of ranked teams in both major sports—football and basketball—than the SEC. This widespread athletic excellence across two seasons firmly establishes the Big 12 as the nation’s deepest and most competitive conference.

 

Football Depth Fuels the Advantage

 

The expanded Big 12's strength is most evident on the gridiron. While the SEC still fields some of the absolute top contenders, the Big 12 has a notably higher volume of teams appearing in the AP Top 25. As of late October 2025, the Big 12 counts as many as five or six teams in the weekly rankings (including teams like BYU, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Houston, and Utah), demonstrating superior mid-to-upper-tier depth. The SEC, outside of its perennial powers, often sees its ranked total shrink as conference play progresses, allowing the Big 12 to pull ahead in total ranked count.

 

The Undisputed King of Hoops

 

The main disparity comes from the hardwood. The Big 12 is consistently rated as the best men's basketball conference in the nation, routinely featuring a double-digit number of teams in the AP Top 25 or receiving votes in the pre-season and early-season polls. With the integration of strong basketball programs, this figure regularly sits higher than the SEC's total.

When combining the consistently high number of Big 12 teams in the basketball rankings with the significant depth in their football rankings, the Big 12 edges out the SEC in overall ranked presence, confirming a level of top-to-bottom competitive balance unmatched in college sports today.

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