“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.
Governance & legislation
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“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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 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.
“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.
“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 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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.)
“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.
“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 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.
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.
“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.
“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 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.
“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 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.
“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.'
“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.
“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.
“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'.
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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“We, the adults, have done a lot to really screw this thing up.”
At a pre-Citrus Bowl news conference, Ferentz said the sport was in worse shape than two years earlier and blamed the adults. He called for a college football commissioner and a summit of Power Five commissioners, ADs and coaches to 'blow everything up and try to start over.'
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
In an open letter to athletes about his 'Project D1' proposal, Baker said the new subdivision could write its own rules on scholarships, roster limits, recruiting, transfers and NIL, and invited athlete feedback.
“We need to separate divisions.”
In an interview with SI, Brown said amateurism is gone and argued that Division I should split into separate divisions (Power 5, Group of 5, FCS) with their own rules, that athletes should be paid within a regulated system with a salary cap, and that a commissioner should oversee college football.
“I also think that it's important we also kind of put up guardrails in place for the teams and the coaches and everyone to understand the do's and don'ts of it.”
Softened on NIL, calling parts of it 'really cool' but urging guardrails; predicted realignment would settle into at least three major conferences.
“We need some intervention, and then my bigger concern is: Who's going to do it, right?”
At Big Ten Media Days, Ferentz said the sport lacks basic operating rules, that nobody could fully explain NIL, and that it needs intervention from one stabilizing voice. He opposed bidding for high school recruits combined with unlimited transfers.
“The government is the only person that can regulate this.”
Speaking at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention, Fisher said the patchwork of state NIL laws had created dysfunction and that only Congress could set uniform national rules.
“It's gonna become the NFL. You have these two conferences, the transfer portal is free agency. Will there be a player's union at some point? There's no governance right now.”
Predicted college football 'is gonna become the NFL', with two super-conferences, the portal as free agency and possibly a players' union within three to five years.
“It's like the wild, wild west. I do know I love the game of college football and I don't want it ruined.”
Said NIL rules should be more uniform across schools, calling the landscape the 'wild, wild west'.
“They should get paid; they should be able to transfer. Coaches do it all the time.”
Backed NIL pay and free transfer ('if coaches can do it, players should'), but said the lack of rules turned it into the wild, wild west.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Phillips said it was not the right time for CFP expansion, pointing to unanswered athlete health questions, wider disruption from NIL and the new NCAA constitution, and the need for a holistic review of the sport.
“No, no, no, you cannot be doing that.”
As interim NIL rules took effect, Emmert said he hoped Congress would pass an NIL law. He added that the bans on pay-for-play and recruiting inducements must remain the bedrock of college athletics.
“I'm a believer that more is not always better and increasing is not always better.”
Asked about expanding the four-team CFP, Warren said the sport should first study the effects on player health, academics and injuries. He said he wasn't yet ready for eight teams and would vote no at that point.
“I just think we are finally now realizing how big of a voice we have”
Co-led #WeWantToPlay with Trevor Lawrence and started a petition to reinstate the Big Ten season; said players realized how big a collective voice they have; NIL was not his top priority but 'times are changing.'
“All together — a step toward one collective voice”
Rencher, who helped organize the cross-conference Zoom call behind the #WeWantToPlay/#WeAreUnited statement, called it a step toward one collective player voice, with universal support for a players association.
“People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don't play.”
Lawrence helped launch #WeWantToPlay, arguing players were safer in team structures than sent home. A joint statement with #WeAreUnited, drafted with players from every Power Five conference, called for universal health protocols, opt-out rights, and a college football players association.
“a little less magnanimous about the 350 schools and spend a little time worrying about the most severe issues that are troubling our programs among the 65.”
Pushing for Power Five autonomy, Bowlsby said the big leagues needed to worry less about all 350 D-I schools and focus on the most serious issues facing the 65 power-conference programs.
“And if it's different on each campus, so what?”
As the NCAA granted autonomy to the Power Five, Scott argued that cost-of-attendance stipends could differ from campus to campus, just as tuition, facilities and cost of living do.
“But there is absolutely no question that turning students into employees would take us in precisely the opposite direction that we need to go.”
Responding to the NLRB ruling on Northwestern players, Scott wrote that treating athletes as employees would be a terrible idea. Instead he called for NCAA reform with more academic support, better health care, and scholarships covering the full cost of attendance.
“We don't have a voice. It's a dictatorship where everything is put on us without our input, without a negotiation right now we just want a seat at the table.”
As Northwestern players petitioned the NLRB to form a union, Colter said players have no voice in NCAA decisions and need collective protections like guaranteed medical coverage, similar to NFL and NBA players.
“I believe the time has come for the NCAA to take control of the college football postseason.”
Reversing 20 years of opposition, Adams urged the NCAA to take control of the postseason with a four-team playoff after the major bowls, and to cut the regular season back to 11 games. He said the BCS had lost public confidence and TV networks had become too powerful.
“Maybe the NCAA can be Switzerland here.”
Brand said there was a new willingness to discuss a football playoff and offered the NCAA as a neutral place for those talks.
“'Amateur' defines the participants, not the enterprise.”
In his centennial State of the Association address, Brand said athletes are not paid because they are students, not employees. He also argued that college sports should run their business side well, since amateurism describes the participants rather than the enterprise.