12-team/revenue-sharing (2024-26)
138 entries from the 12-team/revenue-sharing era (2024-2026), oldest first. Open in the filterable browser.
“Can you imagine in the NBA or NFL, free agency were to start in the playoffs? I mean, it would never happen.”
On an SEC coaches' teleconference, Kiffin said the portal windows are timed before the season is over, which invites tampering, and called the whole system reactive rather than thought out.
“We're all robbing the same train here.”
At CFP national championship media day, Harbaugh proposed that everyone profiting from athletes (coaches, administrators, conferences, universities, the NCAA) take 5 to 10% less, plus a 10% tax on TV money, all pooled for athletes in every sport.
“The thing I would change about college football is to let the talent share in the ever-increasing revenues.”
The morning after winning the national title, Harbaugh said the one thing he would change is letting players share in revenues, and called unionization the next step if institutions won't do it themselves.
“At a minimum, there needs to be consolidation of the highest resource programs around a new financial and governance model.”
At his introduction at Ohio State, Bjork said the Big Ten and SEC should shape the future. He called for, at minimum, consolidating the highest-resource programs under a new financial and governance model.
“But based on the time, effort and hours, we operate as employees currently.”
Griffin was the first Power Five football player to testify at a House NIL hearing. He said momentum favors athlete compensation and that, based on time and effort, athletes already operate as employees, though the NLRB would decide that.
“Let's work together to create a less exploitative business model for college sports.”
After Dartmouth players voted 13–2 to join SEIU Local 560, the first college team union, called for a less exploitative business model.
“It's whoever wants to pay the most money, raise the most money, buy the most players is going to have the best opportunity to win. I don't think that's the spirit of college athletics.”
At a Capitol Hill appearance with Sen. Cruz, said NIL plus free agency means whoever raises the most money buys the best players.
“We're going through change, but I would rather call it a necessary reset.”
At Big 12 Media Days, Yormark called realignment a 'necessary reset' and said it makes sense to take on a private-capital partner, as long as it doesn't compromise the league's long-term future. He also floated exploring new TV windows outside crowded Saturdays.
“This NIL stuff's not real money. It's just starting money, I would say.”
Called NIL 'starting money' and said the media overstates what players make; life-changing money is in the NFL.
“This is an unjust settlement that would not only harm current athletes but future college athletes who are only in fourth grade.”
Huma announced the NCPA's opposition to the House settlement. He argued it would let conferences avoid sharing revenue, shut down NIL collectives so schools could 're-monopolize booster money,' allow cutting sports, and ban revenue sharing if athletes gain collective bargaining rights.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In the NCPA's release, Huma wrote that the settlement had terms allowing conferences to prohibit revenue sharing, to eliminate much of the collective money, and to cut non-revenue sports.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Sued USC, the NCAA and the Pac-12 for NIL compensation from his 2003–05 career, seeking to 'rectify ongoing injustices'; his Heisman had been restored earlier in 2024.
“If the transfer portal opens before I can complete negotiations with Anchor Impact, I will be trapped between abandoning those negotiations or foregoing possible opportunities with other colleges”
Sued the NCAA over its five-year rule, arguing that JUCO seasons shouldn't count against Division I eligibility; said the transfer portal calendar would trap him if the court didn't act.
“I think one of the most important things that we can do is let's get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night, making decisions that's in the best interest of college football”
Before the Fiesta Bowl, called for a commissioner of college football and joked Nick Saban was the 'obvious choice'.
“The season's not over yet, and there's a free-agency window open.”
On a Gator Bowl coaches' Zoom call, Kiffin called the calendar 'a dumb system' because the portal opens while teams are still playing, and compared it to NFL free agency opening before the playoffs.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Endorsed Nick Saban as a commissioner of college football while criticizing the CFP for leaving out three-loss SEC teams in favor of SMU and Indiana.
“I think a commissioner would be a nice thing in theory, but what can they effectively get done if everybody can't agree on something.”
Doubted that naming a commissioner would fix everything, since conferences, the NCAA and now the courts all govern the sport, though he said Saban would be 'great' in the job.
“This has resulted in the loss of traditional rivalries and has ballooned travel expenses and time away from the classroom, especially for the non-revenue sports.”
Argued that conferences competing for media deals led to coast-to-coast leagues, lost rivalries and heavy travel; pooled media rights could reset conferences along geographic lines.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Swinney has backed revenue sharing because it comes with a salary cap and promised regulation of third-party NIL, but he opposes the House settlement's 105-man football roster limit because it squeezes out walk-ons.
“There shouldn't be no regulations. You earned it. Free market.”
Reacting on his podcast to reports of huge NIL deals for transfer QBs, Hunter said college players should get whatever the market will pay, without regulation, because they have almost no time off.
“The rules are in place. Now they're not enforced.”
Asked whether he would want to be a college football commissioner, Meyer said he would not. He argued the sport already has the rules it needs and what's missing is enforcement of tampering and spending rules.
“It's not just about my name on the case. I did this for these guys around me.”
Said he brought the House case for athletes nationwide and is seeking solutions that 'actually help everyone' through the players' association Athletes.org.
“It's, how are the athletes treated, and they've been treated like employees for a long time.”
Said Athletes.org isn't necessarily seeking employee status but that athletes have long been treated like employees; 94% of players at its CFP-week meeting wanted to learn about an employment model.
“I feel like if I could've had NIL in my third year, I could've bought my dad a kidney, and maybe he wouldn't have died”
A four-school portal veteran, said the system rather than the schools failed him; his father died of kidney disease before NIL could help.
“Historically, over and over, time and time again, unless you force their hand to make a change, they're not going to do it by themselves”
Said leaders won't change unless forced, and urged schools to max out House revenue sharing, 'because if you don't pay your student-athletes, you're not going to have student-athletes.'
“If you're in high school and you're getting offered that, go wherever they're paying you the most.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, Burrow said he would have transferred from Ohio State much sooner if today's rules had existed, and told players to take full advantage of NIL money.
“This isn't about left or right; it's about right and wrong. The NCAA is broken, but handing the keys to a few fat cats is worse.”
Warned that giving the Big Ten and SEC an antitrust pass would create a 'gilded monopoly' super conference that starves everyone else; he favors pooled media rights under the Sports Broadcasting Act and geographically sensible conferences.
“It's not sustainable the way we are. It's just a matter of time.”
Predicted college football will consolidate into one 40–50-team 'super league', possibly 'the best era for college football'; warned that 'the adults have left the room.'
“The adults are all downstairs sipping wine, and we've put a bunch of kids up in the room with fireworks and gas and knives and we don't think anything bad is going to happen.”
Worried the game will 'use' kids because adults have abdicated leadership; used a vivid image of kids left in a room with fireworks.
“We're living in a contractual — put it in the contract.”
After Nico Iamaleava's NIL holdout at Tennessee, Newton said the episode was good because it would push the sport toward governance. He called for contracts that withhold money from players who skip games, bowls, practices or meetings.
“The biggest decision that needs to be made in college football right now, by far, is when is the portal window and is it one or two.”
At SEC spring meetings, Smart called the number and timing of portal windows the biggest decision in the sport, said coaches unanimously wanted one window in January, and complained that it wasn't clear who was deciding.
“It needs to happen sometime in January.”
Smart argued against a spring-only portal, saying it would make tampering worse during January through March, and said an AFCA coaches meeting unanimously agreed there should be one window in January.
“The NFL has tiptoed up to this rule”
Criticized the NFL for encroaching on college and high school football by scheduling Black Friday and late-season Saturday games under the Sports Broadcasting Act.
“We want to play Big Ten schools.”
Leaving the SEC spring meetings, Kelly said SEC coaches want nine conference games plus an annual regular-season crossover with the Big Ten, noting the Big Ten had won the last two national titles.
“There are three ways we can go — stay out of it, facilitate more of it or create a mandate.”
On SEC-Big Ten scheduling, Sankey laid out three options: stay out of it, facilitate more games, or mandate them. He called a mandate incredibly difficult.
“I wish there was a cap.”
At Big 12 media days, Sanders called for an NFL-style salary cap with transparent, regulated pay, arguing that booster-funded spending decides who makes the playoff.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At 2025 SEC Media Days, Sankey defended the CFP memorandum of understanding that gives the SEC and Big Ten decision-making authority on the format. He said that without an agreement the 5+7 12-team model could simply stay.
“We need to standardize the schedule across the board if we want to have objective criteria for who should be in the playoff and who shouldn't, and we need to take the decision making off the (CFP) Committee to some degree.”
At Big Ten media days, Cignetti defended Indiana's soft nonconference schedule by saying it had adopted the SEC's scheduling philosophy. He proposed that every Power Four league play nine conference games, with automatic bids and conference play-in games (3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5) on championship weekend.
“We want to better connect the regular season & postseason. We want more conference games to matter in November.”
At Big Ten media days, Petitti pitched a playoff format with more automatic bids for the Big Ten and SEC so more conference games matter in November, and said models that lean more on committee picks would struggle to win Big Ten support. The Big Ten was also the lone FBS league backing a spring portal window over January.
“Also, the playoff format should not function as a disincentive to schedule tough, nonconference games.”
Petitti said any postseason format should keep as many teams alive as long as possible and shouldn't discourage teams from scheduling tough nonconference games.
“We shouldn't be the NFL. We're something different. We're something that's special.”
On The Dan Patrick Show, called a super league a 'horrible mistake' that would make college football a compromised small version of the NFL.
“I think we need to have a commissioner who is over all the conferences, as well as a competition committee who defines the rules of how we're going to play the game, because that's what we don't have right now.”
On ESPN's College GameDay, while discussing the sport's calendar and in-season coaching moves, Saban called for a national commissioner over all conferences and a competition committee to define the rules.
“We've created a mess. Point blank. The whole industry is a mess. The only thing that's not a mess is the dollar signs.”
Called the whole college football industry a mess; the only thing not a mess is revenue. (Quoted in a Deseret News column.)
“College football is messed up.”
On The Pat McAfee Show, said the playoff boosted interest but the 'underbelly' is bad for player development; the sport must choose between a pro developmental league and college athletes; he called player movement a bigger issue than money.
“I have conversations all the time with (Kirk) Herbstreit and we're of the opinion that the national championship game should be played here every year, no matter what.”
Proposed holding the CFP national championship at the Rose Bowl every year, and said Herbstreit agrees.
“Honestly, like, being with the transfer portal and NIL, it was actually a huge pay cut from the other schools. But it was, I believe, looking back on it, it was the right decision.”
Said transferring to Indiana was a 'huge pay cut' compared with other schools' NIL offers, but he chose development under Cignetti.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
The CFBPA's 10-point 'Platform for Change' calls for collective bargaining covering independent medical care, safer practice standards, long-term health protections, a protected offseason, revenue sharing with league minimums, and player-negotiated free agency/eligibility rules and season length/playoff expansion. It also wants union-facilitated group NIL and union certification of agents.
“You don't need more rules, you don't need more people, you need to enforce the rules.”
On The Triple Option podcast, Meyer said a commissioner without real power would change nothing, that the new College Sports Commission won't work, and that the sport needs an enforcement arm rather than more rules or more people.
“You've created a system that inherently rewards what defies a team concept, and in a team sport, it just makes no sense.”
Ahead of Georgia's CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, Smart criticized the portal system for rewarding only players who leave, arguing it defies the team concept.
“I wasn't trying to leave (Florida State). I didn't want to leave, so I just had to, and the portal was closing up.”
Blamed a bad agent, who allegedly texted schools pretending to be him, for forcing him out of Florida State and into repeated portal moves. (Quoted from ESPN in a Deseret News column.)
“It's broken; college football is broken. Everyone would agree if they were honest.”
Said flatly that college football is broken. (Quoted in a Deseret News column; original date of the remark not given.)
“Saturday should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football.”
At the Orange Bowl, Lanning argued that college football has given up too many dates to the NFL. He said every December Saturday should belong to college football, with playoff games played each week so the season ends by Jan. 1.
“It's like the salary cap and the second apron in the NBA. It makes you think more. You have to be more strategic, you have to be more tactical. It protects us from ourselves.”
Backed keeping the House settlement's revenue-sharing cap, likening it to the NBA salary cap and second apron.
“To be honest, I think it's teaching young kids how to run away from their problems. Number two, it's ruining college sports.”
On The Big Podcast with Shaq, said NIL plus the portal teaches kids to run from problems and is 'ruining college sports'.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Proposed a three-step eligibility fix: players locked to their school for three years, free to transfer at the same level in year four, and given a fifth-year transfer option as a reward for graduating.
“Love the last part. Need to incentivize a degree. Out on 1–2. It's not just about the players. Sometimes the coaches do not get it right about a guy. Three years is too long of a lock-in. Two would be great. One-time free transfer”
Responding to Clay Travis's plan, proposed a two-year lock-in, a one-time free transfer, and a transfer-eligible fifth year as a reward for graduating.
“I love it that the kids can be compensated, but there should be rules and guidelines for that compensation, to hold them accountable to that”
Supports player compensation but wants rules that hold players accountable.
“Put somebody in charge. It's a $1.2 billion industry with not a singular voice in charge of it making decisions for the betterment of college football.”
Asked what he'd change, said 'put somebody in charge': a single commissioner able to make and enforce rules for the betterment of college football, since what's best for the SEC isn't always best for everyone else.
“I think we try to stay in our lane unless we're invited in to be part of the solution.”
At his Super Bowl LX press conference, Goodell said college football needs to bring clarity to all the disruption, and the NFL would help if asked but otherwise would stay in its lane.
“We went to court to defend that eligibility rule.”
Goodell defended the NFL's rule that players be three years out of high school, saying it helps players mature and get an education and is good for colleges. He noted the league went to court to protect it (Clarett) and would keep doing so.
“I think the Power 4 needs to break away, create their own world, create their own governing body.”
At Super Bowl LX radio row, Herbstreit laid out three fixes. He called for a national commissioner, for the Power 4 to break away with its own governing body (leaving the Group of 6 its own playoff), and for players to unionize so they can collectively bargain rules that hold up against antitrust suits.
“We need some type of commissioner.”
On ESPN's First Take, Sanders called NIL unsustainable and said the sport needs a commissioner to set uniform rules for compensation. He also criticized the January portal window for disrupting academics.
“The issue isn't the NIL, the issue isn't players making money. The issue is the ability for players to transfer to teams to other teams, and another team, but if we do it for the players, we gotta do it for the coaches.”
Responding to Nick Saban's White House remarks, Newton called returning the focus to education 'hogwash.' He proposed two- to three-year player contracts and limits on excessive transfers, with matching accountability for coaches, including in-season job changes and buyouts.
“If there's a point in which we cannot do so, I think that conversation -- Is there something that you do alone? -- I think that starts to generate more and more interest.”
On The Paul Finebaum Show, Sankey said breaking away wasn't a good idea for now, but that great frustration over the lack of enforceable guardrails could build interest in the SEC going it alone if collective problem-solving fails.
“I found a system that quickly was defined by unlimited free agency and no salary cap and complete chaos.”
Yormark said he found a system of 'unlimited free agency and no salary cap and complete chaos.' He backed the SCORE Act as 'progress over perfection' and called for regulating agents, who he said charge excessive fees and push athletes into the portal.
“The money piece, in particular, is—got to be part of the conversation, and that's got to involve the student athletes.”
Baker said the SCORE Act addresses many problems but the hard part is cost and revenue. He added that any compensation structure must involve athletes themselves in the conversation.
“It's a national treasure. It's a public trust”
Campbell called the SCORE Act a good base and urged a smaller working group to reach a compromise that can get 60 Senate votes. He described college sports as a public trust that belongs to all Americans.
“With every player, maybe the quarterback and the third-string lineman making the same.”
At the roundtable he convened, Trump floated returning to a scholarship-based system with modest, equal pay for every player. He said he would pursue an executive order while Congress works on the SCORE Act.
“So that's, I think the answer is the antitrust piece is the inherent problem in trying to create caps and limits.”
Asked why the House ruling wasn't appealed, Sankey pointed to the 9-0 Supreme Court loss in Alston and said antitrust law is the core obstacle to creating caps and limits.
“We have 37 disparate laws across the country, so what you can do in one State is different than what you can do in another State.”
Phillips backed the SCORE Act, arguing a national law is needed to replace 37 conflicting state NIL laws. He said House-era scholarship additions had not hurt women's sports.
“And how much does anybody talk about getting an education anymore? Nobody talks about it at all”
At the White House 'Saving College Sports' roundtable, Saban asked what the guiding principles of college athletics should be. He called for a system, possibly via antitrust legislation, that lets athletes in all sports improve their quality of life while still using college to prepare for life after sports.
“I think we're coming to a point where we're going to be at no return if we don't get our act together and try to speak with one voice and solve this.”
Bevacqua said college football drives nearly every decision in college sports. If regulation with real consequences fails, he proposed requiring schools to reinvest a percentage of football and basketball spending into their Olympic sports.
“we are very quickly going to be in a world of 30 to 50 college football teams that are basically a mini NFL”
Cruz warned that without congressional action the sport would shrink to 30 to 50 football programs functioning as a mini-NFL, leaving Division II and III behind. He urged Senate Democrats to help reach 60 votes.
“99 out of a hundred student athletes in our league don't want to be employees”
Pernetti said the SCORE Act doesn't solve college sports' economic crisis. He argued the industry is designed to serve the top 1 percent and that nearly all of his league's athletes don't want to be employees.
“Get the donors out of it.”
At the White House roundtable, Meyer said NIL should mean real, market-based endorsements. He called for collectives to be made illegal and donors removed, with universities kept out of arranging player marketing, arguing the sport improves immediately if collectives go away under an antitrust exemption.
“That's because of covid initially, and now because of NIL, guys are getting paid to stay in. That's problematic for us because if guys are coming in older they've probably got less upside.”
Said NIL and extra eligibility are keeping players in college longer, producing older draft prospects with less upside and more injuries; share of Ravens' board aged 24.5+ rose from about 4% to 18%.
“I don't think the portal should exist at the same time that football's being played.”
After Oregon's spring game, Lanning backed a proposal to start the season earlier. He said the portal shouldn't be open while games are still being played and that the season should end close to Jan. 1 to line up with academic terms and coaching transitions.
“The College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams IS THE RIGHT MOVE for College Football to survive in the current landscape.”
Griffin argued on X that a 24-team CFP is necessary for the sport to survive. He said it would bring in revenue to cover rising player pay and let more networks carry playoff games, with losing conference title games as the price.
“I think really the second Monday in January should be the latest that we play college football.”
Bjork said the bigger issue than 24 vs. fewer playoff teams is fixing the whole calendar. He wants the season over by the second Monday in January and the postseason reimagined as bowls fade, which is why he considers 24 teams the right number.
“We have a revenue problem, either we grow the pie or we destroy everything that we're about. It's pretty damn simple.”
Told senators the system has failed and admitted the NCAA and conferences lost in court because they would not let athletes monetize their talents; framed it as a revenue problem.
“I have experienced the impact of NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment, evolving eligibility rules, and the many changes shaping modern college athletics.”
Testifying on the Protect College Sports Act, said a national NIL framework would remove 'gray area' for athletes and that behind every policy debate are real students; noted coaching turnover disrupts development.
“I wouldn't call any team my favorite, but I do represent the team I currently play for, which is the University of Utah”
Asked by Sen. John Curtis to name his favorite team after playing for several schools, gave a diplomatic answer; Cruz joked he might run for office. Said a national NIL framework 'eliminates a lot of the gray area.'
“We agree today that college athletics are in crisis, and we agree that the system is broken and unsustainable”
Co-sponsor of the Protect College Sports Act; called the system broken and pushed amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to pool media rights and 'grow the pie'.
“Congress does need to fix the mess in the courts and create a national framework so the people inside college sports can enforce fair rules.”
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the Protect College Sports Act, Saban asked Congress to create a national legal framework so people inside college sports can enforce fair rules, distinguishing real NIL from disguised pay-for-play.
“Free agency with a collective, now you're talking about bidding war for players.”
At the Senate hearing Saban proposed one transfer opportunity, with another allowed after graduation or in extenuating circumstances, arguing unlimited transfers plus collectives create free agency and bidding wars that hurt development.
“When the system becomes whoever raises the most money gets the best players, then we are no longer talking about college athletics as millions of fans and I have known it.”
In written sworn testimony, Saban said athletes should be compensated for legitimate NIL but warned against turning NIL into a pay-for-play bidding war run through collectives, and called the PCSA a bipartisan effort to bring order.
“If a young person gives his or her body to a university program, then that young person should not be discarded because of an injury, a roster decision, or athletic performance.”
Said athletes should not be discarded over injury or roster decisions, independent medical judgment must not be overridden, and Congress should fix 'the mess in the courts' without micromanaging.
“The window for meaningful reform is short and the cost of inaction is real.”
Backed the Protect College Sports Act's Commission on the Future of College Athletics to study deeper structural reforms; said the window for reform is short.
“I think the notion that we would simply rush to say we support is not the appropriate position.”
On The Paul Finebaum Show, denied any SEC–Big Ten merger or super league plan, calling claims by Protect College Sports Act backers 'not consistent with the truth'; declined to endorse the bill yet and questioned voluntary media-rights pooling.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At SEC Media Days, acknowledged 'real' discussions of governance breakaway options that could distance the SEC from the NCAA, then walked back talk of actually breaking away.
“If the SEC breaks away, my guess would be Tony Petitti and the Big Ten would also break away, and maybe the ACC and Big 12”
Called SEC breakaway talk a leverage play; if the SEC broke away, the Big Ten and perhaps the ACC and Big 12 would follow, especially if federal help fails.
“I liked 16 initially. As I learned more about it, obviously, without the additional AQs, when 24 became part of the conversation, we've done our own conference due diligence around it, and we think it might be a great fit for us.”
At Big 12 Media Days, moved from backing 16 teams to saying a 24-team CFP without extra automatic qualifiers 'might be a great fit' for the Big 12, while protecting its title game.
“We're not interested in finding the easiest path, we are focused on finding the right path.”
Opening SEC Media Days, Sankey pushed back on a 24-team CFP. He said there is no clear evidence of media interest, the calendar is already strained, and the sport needs to find the right path rather than the easiest one.
“I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that's just honest communication.”
Sankey said SEC talk of breaking away is real and not a bargaining tactic. He described it as a sign of deep frustration over how national rules on tampering, the House settlement and eligibility are being enforced.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In his media days address, Sankey laid out the national standards he wants, including health and safety, scholarship protections, oversight of agents, athlete participation in governance, and uniform eligibility and transfer rules.
“Having more teams in a tournament to determine a champion is not going to make it worse.”
At Big Ten media days, Riley said Big Ten coaches were unanimous in favor of a 24-team CFP. He argued expansion would bring back better nonconference games and preserve intersectional rivalries like USC-Notre Dame.
“Now, it has steadied. A true salary cap would steady it even more.”
Riley backed a 'true salary cap' to stabilize the sport but said it would only work if the model can actually be policed and hold up against lawsuits and state courts.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
At Big Ten media days, Petitti said an expanded playoff would make the regular season better by keeping more teams in the CFP race into November and December, while acknowledging it could eliminate conference title games.
“That's not necessarily breaking away, that doesn't mean you're not going to play anybody else. But is there a path to have rules that we can at least operate from the conference?”
Asked about Sankey's 'breakaway' remarks, said the question is whether conference-based rules are needed if the Protect College Sports Act fails; that is not a breakaway, but the Big Ten is preparing for every scenario.
“Government has shirked its real duties — deciding issues of national importance — to focus on something it knows nothing about.”
Opposed the Protect College Sports Act in an op-ed, arguing that government shouldn't take control of college sports.
“There is no cap on the amount of NIL deals. We would not agree to change that. That would be trying to restrict competition.”
Open to raising the revenue-share cap inside the settlement only if it stays soft; warned that a conference-built hard cap is 'not possible without our permission', though a one-free-transfer conference rule might survive.
“Over the next few weeks, your continued advocacy is essential to keep up the momentum. The message is clear: Pass the PCSA as drafted as soon as possible. Amending the bill at this point would almost certainly make it impossible to get it to the President's desk this Congress.”
In a memo to schools sent shortly after the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act on Sept. 28 (obtained by The Washington Sun), urged schools to press the House to pass the bill unchanged, warning amendments would likely kill it this Congress.
“They have worked through a lot of the issues to be seriously talking about this format. So, we're more serious about it than we have been in the past. But there are still some things we have to work through.”
After the CFP management committee met during ESPN's exclusive negotiating window, Clark said a 24-team field is being taken more seriously than ever but is not a done deal, and a 2027 start depends on final details.
“strong antitrust protections for schools to be able to govern themselves, so that courts don't overrule the decisions made by the schools, and you have people playing in their fifth and sixth and seventh year at their fourth school. And they're not getting an education because they're not even getting transferable credits. I mean, nobody wants that. We can fix it, and we're going to.”
Told The Washington Sun (as quoted by Roll Call on Oct. 5, 2026) that House changes to the Senate-passed Protect College Sports Act would focus on antitrust protection so schools can govern themselves. He has also criticized the bill for not barring athletes from being classified as employees.
“Then the cause and effect of paying players is we're raising money from alumni who now think they should have a say in what happens, and that's why 33 coaches got fired last year.”
On Theo Von's This Past Weekend podcast (reported by On3 on Oct. 6, 2026; episode date not stated), tied the 33 head-coaching changes after the 2025 season to boosters who fund player pay and then expect a say in the program.
“When you don't have all of the tools necessary in enforcement, whether the NCAA or the CSC, it still leaves a hole in enforcement. You know, there's a lot of cases that are out there. We have some in our conference with student-athletes and tampering and the rest of it, but until you have the authority necessary to do some of these things, there's always going to be a little bit of a lag, but I feel good overall.”
Asked about College Sports Commission investigations into possible revenue-sharing cap evasion (reported by CBS Sports on Oct. 8, 2026; interview date not stated), said NCAA-CSC coordination has improved but enforcement will lag until the CSC has full authority.
“I think if you can get 80% of it right, we've landed in a great spot. And our goal is hopefully for the House to take it as is. Obviously, that'll require some work and conversation, but that's the scenario we're hoping for.”
On Bloomberg's Business of Sports podcast (reported by On3 on Oct. 12, 2026; episode date not stated), said the Protect College Sports Act gets about 80% of the sport's problems right and, given the post-midterm calendar, the House should take it largely as is.
“Nobody wants to have them as an employee. I don't know how a guy gets paid that much money, and he's not an employee, right? Then if you're an employee, you could probably have a collective bargaining thing.”
Days after the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, Rodriguez said college athletes should be employees, which would open the door to collective bargaining.
“I'm hoping it passes the House, and then you'll get some sense of structure. If it doesn't pass the House and it goes on, I'm telling y'all it's a mess.”
Urged the House to pass the Protect College Sports Act, calling it a necessary first step that still leaves room for a future collective bargaining agreement.
“When I was governor, I signed hundreds of bills. I never signed a bill that was perfect. There's always stuff in there you don't like, OK? That's called democracy. I think this thing is much better for college sports than not.”
At Puck's In the Arena conference, Baker predicted the Protect College Sports Act still has a real chance in the House after the midterms. He named agent regulation, age-based eligibility, transfer limits and revenue-sharing rules as its most important parts.
“Like, does academics matter or not? If it does, then the fact that we've got people transferring six times during a college career is unacceptable.”
In a Puck interview, Sankey said the sport has to decide whether academics matter, and backed the Protect College Sports Act's eligibility limits and transfer restrictions.
“I think the notion of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for combined media rights in this environment is a nice story to tell, but it's really about control.”
Said the part of the Protect College Sports Act he dislikes is pooled media rights, calling the promise that some 130 programs would triple their money 'fiction'.
“So why don't we have more of our own regulatory process driven at that level? That's what self-governance is. It's not about breakaway.”
Said SEC 'self-governance' means writing more of its own rules among its 16 schools, not breaking away from the NCAA.
“We've looked at it and said CFP selection decisions are negatively impacting regular-season scheduling, particularly big non-conference games. That needs to be addressed first”
On a 24-team playoff, Sankey said the SEC's concerns are economics and the December grind, and that CFP selection's effect on nonconference scheduling must be fixed first.
“A player can do everything right and still be victimized two or three times by one coaching decision: losing his roster spot, being forced to burn his one penalty-free transfer, and, if he has already transferred once, potentially losing a year of eligibility just trying to find somewhere else to play. Meanwhile, the coach faces no restriction on how many players he can run off or how many transfers he can bring in to replace them.”
Argued the Protect College Sports Act's one-free-transfer rule punishes players for coaches' roster decisions while placing no limits on coaches who run players off or change jobs.
“Schools in the ACC, principally Florida State, Miami, who want to blow up the ACC, the problem with that is that they have nowhere to go. I've talked to the Big Ten yesterday, and the SEC. And they have no plans to expand.”
Said ACC schools lobbying to loosen the Protect College Sports Act's realignment limits are fighting a losing battle, because the Big Ten and SEC told him they have no plans to expand.
“So I think if you create more access, and I've always said the word equitable, I don't necessarily agree with having a selection committee. I think there should be a way to earn it, but neither here nor there. You have 24 teams. You're going to have more teams now with this nine-game conference schedule, still willing to go play that big out-of-conference game because they know if they lose it, a la Texas-Ohio State last year, they're not all of a sudden behind the eight ball. They still have a chance to play their way in, and I think that's the only way we're going to keep those kinds of games around.”
Backed a 24-team playoff as the only way to keep big nonconference games alive, saying the 12-team selection model pushes teams to avoid them, and questioned using a selection committee at all.
“First of all, I think the biggest thing is, we need some type of rules. We have none. We don't have any rules. And whatever rules we do have, they can't be enforced.”
On his Monday-night radio show, said the biggest need in college athletics is rules that can actually be enforced; called the Protect College Sports Act a mixed bag but praised its bipartisan backing.
“I think it had to get to the point where it became bad enough in college athletics that Congress finally decided that the NCAA was not going to be able to fix this. This is a problem that is just going to continue to get worse unless Congress steps in.”
Said he expects the House to pass the Senate's Protect College Sports Act without major amendments regardless of which party controls the chamber, arguing Congress stepped in because the NCAA could not fix college athletics on its own (citing LSU's attempt to roster former NFL-signed players).
“We have 14 schools that feel really good about it that want to sign it, and we have four schools that have an issue with a portion of it. So that's what I'm going to continue to push towards the decision makers and those that have written the bill to date.”
At ACC Tipoff, acknowledged the league is split on the Protect College Sports Act: 14 schools back it while Clemson, Florida State, Miami and North Carolina want its realignment provisions changed (a 22-school conference cap instead of 20 and no required independence period before switching leagues). He said those schools should get direct access to lawmakers.
“We continue to just request that Army-Navy remain in an exclusive broadcast window, and with the hope that that's also positioned in the manner that Navy would have the ability to compete in the CFP if warranted.”
With a 24-team CFP likely to push Army-Navy into the weekend now used for conference title games, asked that the game keep an exclusive TV window and that Navy stay eligible for the playoff.
“The bill isn't going to stop every possible thing. That's not what it's intended to do. In areas like eligibility, transfer, legislating litigation around NIL, states trying to come over the top of the system, and the settlement, this will clean all that up, and so that's really critical.”
At Big Ten basketball media days, said the Big Ten is "aggressively supporting" the Protect College Sports Act and is optimistic it passes the House, arguing it would settle eligibility, transfer and NIL fights and preempt conflicting state laws.
“This conference has got 18 strong members. We're focused on that. There's lots of things that we think we can do inside the conference to continue to grow the position that we have with the 18 members.”
Said the Big Ten has had no expansion talks even though the Protect College Sports Act would let the 18-team league grow to its 20-school cap.
“We need to play more good games. I think we've been really clear about that. We think that the season can start way better than it does. We're committed to that. If we get to a 24-team Playoff, you are going to see many more competitive games scheduled. That's my belief.”
Pledged the Big Ten would schedule many more strong nonconference games if the CFP expands to 24 teams, but said that change has to follow expansion rather than come first.
“There's a couple things that aren't universally accepted, but I think that—and this is just me—but 80% of it is good. And if you get a bill from Congress, Congress is great. But an 80% where people agree to it? That's pretty awesome.”
On Front Office Sports Tonight (episode aired Oct. 8), publicly endorsed the Protect College Sports Act for the first time, citing its one-time transfer rule, realignment limits and NIL rules; said athletes should be paid within guardrails.
“We have looked at this for some time now, and a lot of thought has gone into it. And we believe that we can do this, and that it'll be good for college football. But we have to make sure that every aspect of it—to include the financials, to include the media partners that we would connect with—that that's all good, and that it's right for college football.”
Said he likes the 12-team format but is excited about a possible 24-team field, as long as the finances and media partners work.
“That would be terrible. I can't imagine a worse decision to be made.”
On his Thursday coaches show, blasted a proposed SEC rule that would force athletes transferring between SEC schools to sit out a year, calling it a disastrous self-own ahead of a presidents' meeting on the idea.
“When a kid goes to transfer from the SEC, he can't go in the SEC. Well, he's going to go to other conferences. So we would just be handing away a lot of players every year and limiting them that they can't go to the other 15 SEC schools that they've grown up fans of, or maybe in the same area where they're from, and they'd be forced to go to other conferences and play against us and play for other conferences.”
Argued an SEC-only sit-out for intraconference transfers would push talent to other leagues rather than keep players in the SEC.
“The bill has already outperformed. I think if you'd have said back in the summer, it could get the support that it got and [be] bipartisan, a tribute to Senators Cruz, [Maria] Cantwell and [Eric] Schmitt for the work they did. … It's already done better. So I'm just going to continue to be optimistic that members of the House will listen to the groups that are involved and take guidance.”
At Big Ten basketball media days (reported by On3 on Oct. 12, 2026), said the Protect College Sports Act's 77-22 Senate margin already beat expectations and that the Big Ten's job now is lobbying House members.
“Clemson has consistently supported the PCSA while advocating for a narrowly tailored provision addressing conference composition. This critical flexibility would strengthen the legislation without undermining its core objectives. Clemson is not seeking to delay or derail the PCSA. We are working to ensure the final legislation protects the ability of institutions to adapt, compete and succeed at all levels.”
After Saving College Sports branded Clemson part of a 'Gang of Four' threatening the Protect College Sports Act, Clemson said it still backs the bill while seeking a narrowly tailored conference-composition change and is not trying to kill it.
“Supporting the bill and seeking to improve it are not in conflict. Congress can protect college sports without litigating conference composition, and we look forward to working with the House to get this legislation enacted.”
In a Friday statement after criticism of its House lobbying with Clemson, FSU and Miami, UNC said supporting the Protect College Sports Act and seeking one targeted conference-composition amendment are compatible goals.
“I mean, I guess, is that tampering if I talk about another player in college? I don't know anymore. Is there even really tampering anymore? Speaking of one of those two schools. And does it matter if you tamper? Is there actually a penalty?”
At his Monday press conference, questioned whether tampering rules still mean anything after Ole Miss faced no meaningful penalty in the Luke Ferrelli portal case.
“The longevity of the championship game still hangs in the balance a little bit.”
Told the Charlotte Business Journal (reported by ACCSports.com on Oct. 13, 2026) that the ACC title game's future depends on whether the CFP grows to 24 teams, with a decision expected by Dec. 1; ACC coaches would rather go straight from the regular season into the playoff.
“So, there's probably some things in it you like, some things you don't like — that's usually the case when you have compromise in agreement. But I think all coaches – I mean, we don't really have any rules right now. We just don't. There's no rules. So, hopefully something good will come out of it.”
At his Tuesday press conference, said he isn't spending energy on the Protect College Sports Act but repeated that the sport has no real rules and hoped the bipartisan compromise produces some.
“If change is not accessed or not achieved at that national level, there will be more and more conversation about how we as a conference function and our own decision-making. We have had rules in the past that apply only to our conference that are more restrictive generally than what might happen nationally. That type of conversation has been initiated, and I would expect it to continue, but we'll wait to see what happens at the congressional level.”
At SEC basketball media days, warned that if Congress fails to set national standards, the SEC will look harder at writing its own, more restrictive conference-only rules, and said those talks have already started.
“I think I've always communicated that we've never said no that won't happen, that won't be a point of support. I think there's an openness to playoff expansion on our part -- I think certainly there's an openness. Attitudes change over time and perspectives change, and so we'll see where that leads us from a final decision standpoint.”
Long a skeptic of a 24-team College Football Playoff, said the SEC has an openness to expansion and expects a final decision 'probably sooner rather than later,' ahead of the Dec. 1 deadline.
“We gathered our athletics directors in mid-September to look even more deeply at the issues. Resulted in the tabling, which means it's not right now. We'll see what happens with the congressional activity. We also have some court decisions on transfer issues that have to be considered. I'm, if you will, agnostic on whether or not it comes back, but I think tabling was the right action at this point.”
After SEC presidents tabled a proposal to make intraconference transfers sit out a season, said tabling was the right call while Congress and pending court rulings on transfers play out, and that he is agnostic on whether it returns.
“Because if you want to have a national championship, there's a whole bunch of things where you need to have a national rule.”
At the Women Leaders in Sports convention in Chicago, said the Protect College Sports Act would 'absolutely' make college sports more sustainable, and that conferences can make some of their own rules but national championships need national eligibility rules.
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