Do Michigan football, MSU play in college football's best division?

For years, the SEC has been hailed as the best conference in college football. But is that reign coming to an end?

Alabama keeps winning championships, but the rest of the conference has fallen behind. Auburn, LSU and South Carolina aren't the same powerhouse programs that gave the SEC such a deep pool of talent years ago.

Meanwhile, the Big Ten has taken several steps toward returning to the top of the college football world. On Saturday, that movement was full steam ahead.

It started with Michigan State. The defending Big Ten champions went on the road and steamrolled a Notre Dame team that was desperate to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Yes, the final score shows the Spartans won by one possession, but the game was completely dominated by MSU, which scored 36 straight points in the second and third quarters.

Hours later, Ohio State polished off an even bigger blowout, walking away from Norman with a 21-point victory over Oklahoma. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the second quarter and the Sooners never pulled within 10 points.

Two of the best programs in college football had no answer for two of the best teams in the Big Ten East. By the end of the weekend, the division had three teams ranked in the AP top 10.

With nonconference play coming to a close, the Big Ten East is looking like the best division in college football. Here's how it matches up with the country's top divisions.

Big Ten East Division

Overall nonconference record: 17-2
Ranked teams: Ohio State (No. 2), Michigan (No. 4), Michigan State (No. 8)

In the Big Ten East, it's all about the big three.

Michigan and Ohio State began the season ranked in the top 10 while the Spartans, who played in the College Football Playoff in January, lurked in the weeds at No. 12. Three weeks later, the three teams are a combined 8-0 with two statement wins on the road.

Ohio State is the youngest team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but had no problem playing in a hostile environment against Oklahoma. The more veteran Sooners, who represented the Big 12 in the playoff last season, were the scared ones after the Buckeyes threw the first punch and never looked back.

Michigan State's win over Notre Dame silenced the critics who dismissed MSU for playing a sloppy game against Furman. Mark Dantonio's teams have played down to lesser opponents for years, but when it's time to show up for a big game, Dantonio finds a way to pull through.

Michigan played a much easier nonconference schedule, but that doesn't mean the Wolverines weren't impressive. After dismantling Hawaii and UCF by a combined score of 114-17, Michigan survived an early test from a sneaky talented Colorado team. The Wolverines were unimpressive early, falling down 21-7 to the Buffaloes, but found a way to turn it around and cruise to a 17-point win.

When key pieces such as Jourdan Lewis and Taco Charlton return to Michigan's defense, it will be one of the most talented units in the nation.

Below the top three teams, the East sees a significant dropoff, but the division has avoided disaster. Indiana and Maryland are undefeated and Penn State and Rutgers are 2-1. At least two of those teams should qualify for a bowl game after taking care of business in the nonconference. The East's only two losses came to good teams in No. 8 Washington and Pittsburgh.

ACC Atlantic Division

Overall nonconference record: 12-2
Ranked teams: Louisville (No. 3), Clemson (No. 5), Florida State (No. 13)

Like the Big Ten East, the ACC Atlantic landed two teams in the top five this weekend.

Louisville made a statement Saturday afternoon by pounding division rival Florida State, 63-20. The Cardinals are outscoring opponents by a score of 195-62 through three games behind the heroics of Lamar Jackson, who has already thrown for over 900 yards and eight touchdowns on a 61 percent completion rate. Jackson has also rushed for 464 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 18 total touchdowns have planted him firmly at the top of the September Heisman race.

But what does that blowout mean for Florida State? The Seminoles dropped from No. 2 to No. 13 after the loss, and their win over Ole Miss holds less weight after the Rebels dropped to 1-2. Florida State was expected to be one of the best teams in the country, but great teams usually don't lose by 43 points.

Luckily, the Atlantic still has Clemson flying under the radar after unimpressive six-point wins over Auburn and Troy. The Tigers were expected to cruise through their nonconference schedule after coming within a few plays of winning a national title in January, but the first three weeks have been much tougher than expected. The defending runners-up have a chance to prove themselves at George Tech this weekend before a huge home matchup with Louisville.

The ACC Atlantic has just as many punching bags as the Big Ten East, with Boston College, Syracuse and North Carolina State sitting at a combined 4-5. The division has losses to South Florida and East Carolina.

SEC West Division

Overall nonconference record: 10-4
Ranked teams: Alabama (No. 1), Texas A&M (No. 10), Arkansas (No. 17), LSU (No. 18), Ole Miss (No. 23)

The SEC West features more ranked teams than any division in the country, but the quality of some of the teams is in question.

Alabama, Texas A&M and Arkansas have earned their rankings with significant nonconference wins and perfect 3-0 records. Alabama is coming off a national championship and already knocked off USC and Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide will hold onto that No. 1 ranking until it loses a game.

Texas A&M played No. 16 UCLA in the season opener and outlasted the Bruins for a 31-24 win. After blasting a Football Championship Subdivision foe in Week 2, the Aggies kicked off SEC season with a solid road win over Auburn, where Clemson struggled just weeks ago. Now, A&M has cracked the top 10 for the first time this season.

Arkansas survived a 21-20 scare against Louisiana Tech in its opener, but earned its ranking with a 41-38 win on the road against No. 15 TCU. Bret Bielema's team blew a big third-quarter lead but came back with a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minutes to force overtime, where they won in double overtime. Arkansas belongs in the top 20.

But Ole Miss and LSU are ranked solely based on preseason expectations. Ole Miss is 1-2 with its only win over Wofford. LSU lost to Wisconsin and struggled against Mississippi State, but stayed in the top 20. Do these two teams legitimately belong in the top 20? If they do, they haven't shown they've earned it just yet.

The division's worst loss goes to Mississippi State, which kicked off its season on a sour note, losing to South Alabama at home.

Which is the best?

As most of the nonconference games come to a close, final perceptions about divisions and conferences will round into form. After years of bowing down to the SEC, it looks as if the Big Ten is making its move.

OSU, MSU and Michigan are leading the charge.