Nebraska coach Matt Rhule says Big Ten is "NFL of college football"
![Jul 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports Jul 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6162,h_3466,x_0,y_408/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/194/01j3k8cqax2mmp530mcv.jpg)
Matt Rhule is entering his second year in the Big Ten and the Nebraska head coach had nothing but good things to say about the conference at media days on Wednesday.
When asked about his thoughts about the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff, he didn't hold back.
In fact, he said that in the new 12-team expanded playoff field, the Big Ten should get four teams in every year and his reasoning opened some eyes. He called the Big Ten "the NFL of college football".
Matt Rhule on Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff:
— On3 (@On3sports) July 24, 2024
“I think 4 teams from this league should get in every year because this is the best league. This is the NFL of college football..."https://t.co/9UGS52uGN6 pic.twitter.com/kFbl9szHHe
Obviously SEC fans are laughing at that statement because they've seen teams like Georgia, LSU, and Alabama dominate the sport for decades and win national titles left and right. If any conference is legitimately the "NFL of college football", it would probably have to be the SEC, right?
Or maybe we should listen to the guy who coached in the NFL and saw firsthand how tough it is to win there. He was fired as Panthers' head coach a couple of years ago which is why he's in Lincoln.
Also, Rhule has coached in the Big 12 as a head coach, too, leading Baylor to a New Year's Six bowl back in 2019 before taking the Panthers' job. So he's seen a couple of conference up close as well as the NFL and he is still saying that the Big Ten is the nation's most powerful conference.
Well, he does have the fact that the Big Ten won the last national title on his side along with the fact that the conference is adding Oregon, Washington (2023 national runner-up), USC, and UCLA this season. Oh, and his schedule for 2024 features the likes of Ohio State, USC, Wisconsin, and Iowa which make up four of the top-half of the Big Ten's best teams.
Rhule ruffled some SEC feathers today and I don't know about you, but I love it.
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