This is the same nonsense we heard back when the Pac-12 was actually a conference, before realignment tore everything apart. I watched the SEC dominate for decades, from the Bear Bryant days right through Saban's reign. The Big 12 is a fun league, I'll give you that, but tough top to bottom? Son, I remember when the SEC West alone would grind you into dust week after week. The Big 12 doesn't play defense like that, and they haven't since the days of the old Big Eight. The national media isn't scared, they've just seen the trophy case. How many national champions has the Big 12 produced in the last 20 years compared to the SEC? It's not even a debate. This reminds me of when everyone said the Pac-10 was the "Conference of Champions" in the 90s, but come bowl season, we saw who had the depth. The SEC's bottom feeders would still be a problem in any other league. You don't get style points for a deep conference that doesn't win the big ones.