What is different between the Big Ten and SEC conference tiebreakers?

Less than a week after the SEC released its tiebreaking procedure for finding the conference championship game participants, the Big Ten released a process of its own.

The (un)surprising thing?

They're almost the exact same.

Each conference has six steps that, if necessary, will determine which two teams are in the conference championship game.

These processes would only be put into action in the case of teams whose overall records are even.

The SEC Football Official Tiebreaker

The Big Ten Football Official Tiebreaker

Most notable to football fans is that both conference championship games could be decided by the luck of the draw.

Beyond the final possible step, what is different between the two tiebreakers?

Step 1:

In both procedures, teams that won head-to-head matchups over the teams they are tired with would earn a berth to the conference championship game.

However, with how large conferences have become, teams may not necsesarily face each other in a given season.

So, onto step No. 2.

Step 2:

Because the tiebreakers will only be between conference members, the SEC and the Big Ten can compare how each team did against similar opponents.

The conferences will compare cumulative records against common opponents from the current season to see which team has the better overall performance.

Step 3:

The third step for both processes will be comparing the tied teams' performances against common opponents in order for best record to worst.

In other words, if two teams are tied for the second-place finish in the conference, how did they each compete against the No. 4 team, then the No. 5, then the No. 6, etc.

Keep in mind, this only applies if they have those opponents in common.

Step 4:

If one of the conferences reach step No. 4, each tied team's conference opponents' overall winning percentage would be compared.

The team whose opponents have the highest cumulative winning percentage of conference opponents would be the team to go to the conference championship game.

Step 5:

This is where the difference is.

The SEC's process if they reach step No. 5, arguably, makes a lot more sense than the Big Ten's step No. 5.

While the SEC would compare the teams' total scoring margins against conference opponents, the Big Ten plans to do something a little more out of pocket.

If step No. 5 is reached at the end of the Big Ten regular season, the conference would choose its conference championship representative based on the teams' overall rankings according to SportsSource Analytics.

Many football fanatics are already saying teams will be able to 'make donations' to SportsSource in order to buy themselves a spot in the conference championship.

However, time will tell if Step No. 5 is ever even necessary.