Pavia, who transferred from New Mexico State last year and led the Commodores to their first winning season in 11 years and an upset of Alabama, joined former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan on their \u201cBussin\u2019 With the Boys\u201d podcast<\/a>. Most of the conversation was about Pavia\u2019s journey, but he took a jab at the Big Ten, including specific schools, when asked about potential transfers this offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to play with the best, you don\u2019t want to play in the Big Ten,\u201d Pavia told Big Ten alumni Compton (Nebraska) and Lewan (Michigan). \u201cYou ignore those calls. You\u2019ve got to think about this too: The SEC is like nothing (else). The Big Ten, you have Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State. The SEC, you\u2019ve got all dogs.<\/p>\n \u201cYou only have four (tough) games a year (in the Big Ten). In the SEC, it\u2019s week after week you\u2019re getting beat on. You ain\u2019t getting beat on by the Purdues or Nebraskas.\u201d<\/p>\n Vanderbilt last faced a Big Ten program in 2019 \u2014 losing 42-24 to Purdue.<\/p>\n Bielema caught wind of Pavia\u2019s comments and defended his conference.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand what he\u2019s saying \u2014 he\u2019s regurgitating what\u2019s being said to him,\u201d Bielema said. \u201cI think any given Saturday, anybody can beat anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n Bielema, who has coached in both conferences at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Illinois, pointed out that the SEC has no returning quarterbacks who led their team to 10-plus wins last season, while two of the Big Ten\u2019s five 10-plus-win teams return their starter: Penn State with Drew Allar and the Illini with Luke Altmyer.<\/p>\n Big Ten teams went 6-4 last season against SEC teams, including a 5-1 mark in the postseason that included Illinois\u2019 Citrus Bowl victory<\/a> over South Carolina.\u00a0The Big Ten also boasts the last two national champions (Ohio State and Michigan) after SEC teams won 13 of the previous 17 national titles.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last three years, the evolution of college football with the portal and NIL has created a leveled playing field never seen before,\u201d Bielema said. \u201cA lot of people want to live in the past and try to stay by the rules of the past, (but) I don\u2019t see any part of (that in) our future.\u201d<\/p>\n Bielema also noted that SEC coaches have pushed back against adding a ninth conference game as well as the idea of an annual \u201cchallenge series\u201d of games versus Big Ten teams.<\/p>\n \u201cWe voted unanimously as Big Ten coaches to stay at nine (conference games) and maybe have an SEC challenge,\u201d Bielema said. \u201cI was told that (the SEC) voted unanimously to stay at eight and not play the Big Ten.\u201d<\/p>\n While the two conferences might not see eye to eye on who\u2019s No. 1, there\u2019s no denying the SEC and Big Ten view themselves as the best two conferences. In recent College Football Playoff discussions, they initially proposed that each get four automatic qualifiers for a 16-team playoff beginning in 2026, with two each for the ACC and Big 12, one for the highest-ranked champion from other conferences and three at-large berths.<\/p>\n After pushback from the ACC and Big 12 \u2014 who proposed five automatic bids for conference champs plus 11 at-large spots \u2014 the CFP reportedly will \u201cstart over\u201d<\/a> in format talks with a Dec. 1 deadline to solidify the 2026 playoff structure.<\/p>\n \u201cThese two leagues can beat anybody on any given Saturday,\u201d Bielema said, \u201cand that\u2019s the part I\u2019d like to see. I\u2019d like it to be the best 16 teams. I don\u2019t think we can do a 16-team playoff if (the SEC is) not at nine (conference) games. Until you get to nine for everybody, I don\u2019t think it can work.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Vanderbilt](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CTC-L-BIG-TEN_595c6a.jpg\")
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates a 40-35 win against Alabama on Oct. 5, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo\/George Walker IV)<\/p>\n