Three Straight National Titles. Three Different Teams. Has the Big Ten Passed the SEC?

For years, the SEC owned the argument about college football supremacy. But that argument looks considerably different entering Saturday.

The Big Ten has won the last three national championships — with three different programs.

Michigan. Ohio State. Indiana.

That distinction matters. This is not one dominant program carrying an entire conference. Three different Big Ten programs have climbed to the top of college football in three consecutive seasons.

Now Saturday provides another measuring stick: Oklahoma at Michigan, Mississippi State at Minnesota and No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas. Three Big Ten-versus-SEC games in one day, with matchups at different levels of the two leagues.

The SEC earned its reputation through years of national championships, NFL talent and extraordinary depth. But college football cannot be judged only by what a conference did five or ten years ago. The question is what the evidence tells us right now.

Right now, the national championship trophy has resided in the Big Ten for three consecutive seasons — in three different trophy cases. Saturday gives the SEC an opportunity to push back, and it gives the Big Ten an opportunity to strengthen its claim that the balance of power has shifted.

Oklahoma at Michigan — Noon ET

This is the one I give to the SEC.

Michigan gets Oklahoma in the Big House, and that home-field advantage matters. The Wolverines can make this a physical, lower-possession game, but Oklahoma presents problems that will test Michigan’s discipline on both sides of the football.

I am particularly interested in Michigan’s ability to control the line of scrimmage and keep Oklahoma quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins from extending plays. Michigan needs its defense to keep the game manageable while the offense proves it can consistently sustain drives.

Coach Griff’s Pick: Oklahoma in a close, physical game.

Mississippi State at Minnesota — 3:30 PM ET

Do not overlook this one.

If we are really evaluating conference strength, games like Mississippi State-Minnesota matter. Conference supremacy cannot be measured only by the teams ranked in the top five. The middle of a league tells us something about its overall depth.

I like Minnesota at home because the Gophers should be able to make this the kind of game P.J. Fleck wants to play — physical, patient and decided by execution in the fourth quarter. It may not be pretty, but Minnesota does not need it to be.

Coach Griff’s Pick: Minnesota by a narrow margin.

No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas — 7:30 PM ET

This is the headliner, and it is the game that will drive the national conversation Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Forget September statistics accumulated against overmatched opponents. This game comes down to the line of scrimmage, explosive players and which quarterback handles pressure when the game reaches the fourth quarter.

I am watching Ohio State’s offensive line against the Texas front, how Texas chooses to defend the Buckeyes’ explosive skill players and whether Ohio State can consistently make the Texas quarterback operate under pressure.

Playing in Austin makes this a major test for the Buckeyes. But I believe Ohio State has enough talent, experience and playmakers to survive a four-quarter game.

Coach Griff’s Pick: Ohio State by a narrow margin.

What Saturday Could Mean

A 2-1 Big Ten day does not settle the Big Ten-versus-SEC argument by itself. But it adds another piece of evidence to a trend that can no longer be ignored.

If Minnesota beats Mississippi State, the Big Ten earns an important win that speaks to conference depth. If Ohio State goes into Austin and beats No. 4 Texas, the Big Ten’s strongest program makes another statement on one of the sport’s biggest stages. And if Oklahoma wins at Michigan, the SEC gets a significant road victory of its own in one of college football’s most difficult environments.

That is what makes Saturday fascinating. Forget conference slogans and television arguments. Put the teams on the field.

My card: Oklahoma over Michigan. Minnesota over Mississippi State. Ohio State over Texas.

Big Ten 2. SEC 1.

And if that is how Saturday finishes, the conversation Sunday morning should not be about whether the Big Ten has caught the SEC.

It should be about whether the SEC is now chasing the Big Ten.