The entire reasoning for an expanded Playoff seems to be an attempt by the various Conferences to get as many of their teams in the Playoff as possible, thus increasing the chances of that Conference winning a Natty. An unintended consequence of more teams, or maybe it's the goal, will be the elimination of the Conference Championship games. The whole thing is an exercise in futility and sort of negates the outcome of playing games during the regular season.
The point of the regular season should be to win a Conference Championship. If a team can do that it should get rewarded with a chance to win the Natty. If a team knows it can make the playoffs as the 3rd/4th/5th best team in its Conference then the regular season is really meaningless and a Conference Championship is a waste of time.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
It was about access and money for the schools on the outside before. Now it’s nuanced.
Petitti’s argument is that it makes the regular season more interesting by keeping more teams in the running. That’s a pretty straightforward argument whether you agree with it or not so I don’t see an angle where it makes the regular season mean less. The B1G is all about the automatic qualifiers. The B1G would drop the conference championship games and replace them with a play in weekend.
Im not sure this is the crowd I would expect to be supporting quotas but whatever. unserious times.
The SEC plan for 16 with 5 automatic bids should face some of the same scrutiny - it’s just not as silly on the surface. I mean it’s all about the SEC taking over the world and making Alabama the king of FBS but that’s fine. I miss when college football wasn’t so corporate - or at the very least when it pretended it wasn’t. The conference championship just doesn’t mean as much as it used to - maybe to some fans but the players, teams, universities, and conferences don’t seem to care. More playoff games is more content to sell is more money and that’s what matters because this isn’t about student athletes anymore. College football is kaput. Russia won.
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
.
.
I love a good joke, would you share it with us?
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
.
.
I love a good joke, would you share it with us?
What a great advertisement for Alabama's education system.
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
I really hope you dont think you were making a joke. And no there is no long lived joke remotely close to that
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
I really hope you dont think you were making a joke. And no there is no long lived joke remotely close to that
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
I really hope you dont think you were making a joke. And no there is no long lived joke remotely close to that
You're just so adorably lost.
Not really. The OSU guys say everything is about Bama and dislike the SEC because of them and Georgia. It just wasnt funny and encourages that narrative
@Basebal21 said:
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
I really hope you dont think you were making a joke. And no there is no long lived joke remotely close to that
You're just so adorably lost.
Not really. The OSU guys say everything is about Bama and dislike the SEC because of them and Georgia. It just wasnt funny and encourages that narrative
It wasn't trying to be that funny. That's the joke the comedian makes when he's taking a sip of water. It was buried in more words and wasn't trying to carry the weight of the comments itself. Good job pointing out that it's not super funny - good feedback and I take notes. As far as the narrative... you're one to speak of narrative prose... girl we in trouble!
I don't find myself often in-line with or supporting the SEC but today is the exception. I'm hoping they "hold the line" against the Big 10 instigated insistence for a 24-team Playoff format, but I fear and believe they will cave. It seems the winds of change are blowing in that direction, if not this season then soon enough. Such a development will really test my affinity for College Football. I think it's a much better product than the NFL but once $$$$MONEY$$$$ takes hold and gets a final death grip on it I believe it will be irrevocably changed, and not for the better. The sport as we knew it already appears to be on life support and these conferences see themselves as saving it.
I hope I am proved wrong on all points.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Check out the newish protecting college sports act. Probably still not enough senate votes to pass but a line is being drawn around 2 things is the message to the SEC and B1G.
Protect college sports would be a huge win for the NCAA and the mid tier conferences.
Its basically just FOX vs ESPN. ESPN has the SEC rights which include a conference championship and the playoff rights up to 16 teams and Fox has the rights to the B!G. I dont like Sankey as a commish of the SEC, dosent throw his power or weight around enough but theres going to have to be some big changes or concessions for the SEC/ESPN to go to 24 at the moment.
They SEC would go to 16 immediately and everyone thought they would happen, but the B!G blocked it so its going to stay at 12 likely for a few years. Fox wants in on the playoff games even though theyd lose money on the match ups and the B!G wants to get more money to make up for the bad TV that didnt add extra money for teams being added.
@Maywood said:
I don't find myself often in-line with or supporting the SEC but today is the exception. I'm hoping they "hold the line" against the Big 10 instigated insistence for a 24-team Playoff format, but I fear and believe they will cave. It seems the winds of change are blowing in that direction, if not this season then soon enough. Such a development will really test my affinity for College Football. I think it's a much better product than the NFL but once $$$$MONEY$$$$ takes hold and gets a final death grip on it I believe it will be irrevocably changed, and not for the better. The sport as we knew it already appears to be on life support and these conferences see themselves as saving it.
I hope I am proved wrong on all points.
I would like it to stay at 12 teams as well. 12 teams is too many, so more would be even worse.
JMHO, but the current format of 12 teams is bad because there is no stated process for how a team is chosen or “earns” a place in the Playoff. It’s all done randomly by that CFP Committee and they take their lead from the AP Poll. I don’t trust them to choose who the 12 “best” teams are.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
They SEC would go to 16 immediately and everyone thought they would happen, but the B!G blocked it so its going to stay at 12 likely for a few years.
Proof positive that the SEC no longer rules NCAA football despite the influx of money from sports giant ESPN. It is just as wrong that the Big 10 now has as much power as they do to influence decisions. It would be much better for everyone, especially fans, if these idiots could sit down together and work something out instead of trying to bully and dominate those who should be their "colleagues" into a format they want.
College football is turning really stupid.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Reading some highlights from the SEC meeting: they are still convinced that they are the best Conference and have the best teams despite evidence to the contrary from the past several years. That leads to the inevitable conclusion that since they pay themselves SEC teams need to be "rewarded" for their Strength of Schedule. Yes, that again!!! It is an interesting point to argue until it vanishes like fairy dust every recent post-season.
None of this stuff will be settled until all of NCAA football agrees to some kind of format where they play each other during the regular season. To hear some of these SEC and Big 10 teams lay claim to their strength and realize they have played each other maybe 2-3 times during the regular season in the history of their programs is ridiculous.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
@Maywood said: They SEC would go to 16 immediately and everyone thought they would happen, but the B!G blocked it so its going to stay at 12 likely for a few years.
Proof positive that the SEC no longer rules NCAA football despite the influx of money from sports giant ESPN. It is just as wrong that the Big 10 now has as much power as they do to influence decisions. It would be much better for everyone, especially fans, if these idiots could sit down together and work something out instead of trying to bully and dominate those who should be their "colleagues" into a format they want.
College football is turning really stupid.
Ironically Sankey is the biggest supporter of the NCAA. Hes never been one to really throw around weight anyways. Big 12 has deals with both Fox and ESPN so they can go either way, ACC is ESPN but the deal is so friendly to ESPN they dont really have much power in football.
SEC and B!G are both asking for things they know they wont get as a tactic to get one too meat in the middle. Both are trying to protect their TV deals and set up their next deals. The reason why it seems like the B!G is running the show is that the more teams you propose the more support you get. All the schools that know they have no chance at the playoffs suddenly might have a chance to sneak in with how teams in the 20s are voted which snowballs into conference support and every non power conference is automatic support for expansion anyways if you let them have a team in.
We might be stuck at 12 teams for a while if neither side is going to make concessions. Theoretically ESPN could just keep doing everything they can to block expansion since they have the CFP playoff rights through like 2031.
@Maywood said:
Reading some highlights from the SEC meeting: they are still convinced that they are the best Conference and have the best teams despite evidence to the contrary from the past several years. That leads to the inevitable conclusion that since they pay themselves SEC teams need to be "rewarded" for their Strength of Schedule. Yes, that again!!! It is an interesting point to argue until it vanishes like fairy dust every recent post-season.
It's very common practice to hype up their conference. All of the power four commissioners do it.
Just to show how ridiculous a 24-team Playoff might be:
Fresh out of the Big 12 Conference meeting, those school's Head Coaches are all for a 24-team field and say they'd have had 5 teams in the Playoff last season instead of just one, Conference Champion Texas Tech. Well, TT got shut-out by Oregon 23-0 so it's reasonable to assume the next 4 wouldn't have fared any better. Do we really need that??
My solution is much more inter-conference play during the regular season, a much better time to figure out who is worthy, and then a smaller field at Playoff time based on record. But it will never happen.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
@Maywood said:
My solution is much more inter-conference play during the regular season, a much better time to figure out who is worthy, and then a smaller field at Playoff time based on record. But it will never happen.
At one point there were talks with the SEC and B!G to make sure every one of their teams played a team from the others conference each year but that seems to have died down or fallen apart. Theyve generally been lockstep with each other knowing they need to stick together since the non power conferences can outvote them and get their way on every issue if they wanted to.
I think there were some issues with what games would be on what network but there does seem to be tension growing with the playoff situation. Meanwhile the ACC and Big 12 are like kids playing both sides watching mommy and daddy fighting
@Maywood said:
Just to show how ridiculous a 24-team Playoff might be:
Fresh out of the Big 12 Conference meeting, those school's Head Coaches are all for a 24-team field and say they'd have had 5 teams in the Playoff last season instead of just one, Conference Champion Texas Tech. Well, TT got shut-out by Oregon 23-0 so it's reasonable to assume the next 4 wouldn't have fared any better. Do we really need that??
My solution is much more inter-conference play during the regular season, a much better time to figure out who is worthy, and then a smaller field at Playoff time based on record. But it will never happen.
Agreed. More playoff teams only means more blowout playoff games. I dont see how that helps the sport. I wouldn't be interested in watching 9-4 Arizona get boat raced by a top 5 team. But since CF is a business, I guess the big wigs only care about the $$$$. More playoff games =more money in their pockets.
The “more money” angle is really a disheartening aspect of the whole thing. Ticket prices, lodging and travel expenses mean the bulk of fans are excluded from attending most games.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
The pathetic ref who cost Ohio State the 2019 game against Clemson is gone. The SEC permanently suspended longtime college football referee Ken Williamson from officiating conference games, a disciplinary action confirmed following a string of highly controversial calls during the Auburn-Georgia game. Prior to this ban, Williamson served as the head referee for Ohio State's controversial 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Clemson.
Weeding out bad Referees in all levels of sports is sensible since their repeated bad performances have an adverse affect. It happens with all sports and from High School through the NCAA to the NFL.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Its refreshing to actually see refs held accountable and not just be a life time job like its been for a long time unless you get caught gambling. MLB is basically eliminating umps one step at a time theres so many bad ones and theyre to scared to take a stand and get rid of them.
Ill still never get why everything isnt reviewable. If you have the challenges you should be able to use them on whatever you want
Must the Courts and the US Judicial system always be sought as a last refuge for athletes who try to skirt the rules and then don't like the consequences of their poor decisions?? Ask Brenden Sorsby.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
That's kind of the NCAA's point and a major part of what's going on in the US Legislative and Executive branches regarding College Sports. The NCAA has been fighting against the erosion of their ability to enforce rules against the states, and to a lesser extent, the conferences and now we have a friendly local Texas court trying to reach into NCAA integrity rules. If the injunction is granted I... I kind of want it to happen. Like blow it all up.
Thats literally why theres courts . The Texas court isnt that friendly for Scorsby. The Texas Tech grad judge recused himself. He will likely lose the case and enter the supplemental NFL draft.
NCAA has no one to blame but themselves. They spent decades acting like a dictatorship and even being inconsistent doing so so people started challenging them in court
I said friendly court because the venue was chosen with intent. Note that friendly isn't the same as saying it's neutral. It's friendly, but if you want to split hairs, it's between friendly and neutral and on the other side of the fence from not friendly. Your point on the judge who recused because of his affiliation with TT; noted, and I was aware... I still think it's friendly.
As far as the suits, sure... that's why there are courts... The NCAA's rules should be reviewed and challenged, but this is clear venue shopping and if he gets an injunction then he wins because he plays while it's argued and that's more of a structural problem here.
The NCAA may have invited the challenges by acting somewhat arbitrarily for decades, but this isn't that. This issue isn't that. This is betting on your own team and at some point we have to say this isn't what the courts are for - to be used as an injunction mechanism to end-around a rule that no one is going to give him a pass on. Saying the NCAA deserves it is just wrong vs. wrong.
He only has until June 22nd to declare for the draft to try and trigger a supplemental draft which hes been preparing for. Theres little chance that this is going to be a long drawn out thing and very unlikely he could play a full season off a simple injunction.
He is considered one of the top QBs in next years loaded class and most likely he will go that route. The clocks ticking on this one and his value goes down significantly if he has to sit out a year for next years draft
That’s the thing. The injunction will be decided before the 22nd. If he wins then he will likely play the whole season. You have to go way back to 2024 to see that happen. Don’t blink while rewinding or you’ll miss it. That’s the point here. The likelihood is low and I hope I made myself clear that this isn’t a Sherman Act antitrust argument like Pavia had. This has very almost zero merit - none compared to that. The courts are not meant to be used as a path around NCAA rules. Is gambling on your own team a mental health problem? Poor guy. He can eat dirt.
Pavia had a legitimate case with playing in a different organization (JUCO) shouldnt count against NCAA eligibility which is what took that so long. This case is a pretty easy yes or no that even an injunction shouldnt drag out for months and months. He got a big NIL deal from the oil billionaire funding TT, but hes acting likel he knows hes going to lose. What the NFL teams are telling him will be a factor too. He might just drop it if he knows hes going to get drafted
Yes. we agree Pavia had a legit case. This case seems easy to me too and an injunction SHOULD NOT drag on for months. I put his chances at around 20% and that's mostly on the irreparable-harm case, which is the strongest of their 3 main arguments. Success on the case though... near-zero, and the facts are really ugly for him. I think I heard that TT is pushing for a June 15 decision. I don't see that pressure helps them - if anything it should make a judge want to avoid novel decision here.
In the past the courts have sided against the NCAA because.. and I quote the rulings here... "it costs the NCAA nothing to let the kid play". This is different. He was betting on his own teams.
So, if the injunction is granted then Sorsby's eligibility is restored while the lawsuit proceeds. Discovery, depositions, motions... trial... that's easy 18 months. So the injunction shouldn't drag out for months... sure. SHOULD NOT. It would.
While he does have the same attorney that did have the House case I just dont see the path or how to drag it out here. Its basically the Im addicted and this isnt this first time recently either. Boutte was coming back to LSU senior year and they said not too with all his gambling charges that got dropped probably because someone pulled some strings. Its kinda the same thing but in this case he went to rehab and is calling it mental health since he was diagnosed with it which would potentially mean you could do anything and get away with it.
The current judge went to Houston for law school and a lot of those Texas schools hate each other. Its not exactly a gambling friendly state either as sports betting is still illegal in Texas. Even in Indiana where it was legal and ignoring the whole NCAA and own team thing he was under aged to place bets while he was there. He just turned 22 in January and he was at Indiana as a freshman then 2 years at Cincy. Hes just not old enough to have been legal bets back then. Lawyer gets paid either way and this seems like a pretty quick no not much to think about especially since its been investigated for months already now and hes admitted it.
It doesn’t make sense to me. Why have a governing body in the NCAA if courts will be sought to overturn a ruling players/coaches/teams don’t like??
Sorsby gambled on teams, he’s admitted as much. Why should he be reinstated?? Either the NCAA rules are upheld or that body isn’t needed and players/teams/coaches can do whatever they want to do.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Comments
The entire reasoning for an expanded Playoff seems to be an attempt by the various Conferences to get as many of their teams in the Playoff as possible, thus increasing the chances of that Conference winning a Natty. An unintended consequence of more teams, or maybe it's the goal, will be the elimination of the Conference Championship games. The whole thing is an exercise in futility and sort of negates the outcome of playing games during the regular season.
The point of the regular season should be to win a Conference Championship. If a team can do that it should get rewarded with a chance to win the Natty. If a team knows it can make the playoffs as the 3rd/4th/5th best team in its Conference then the regular season is really meaningless and a Conference Championship is a waste of time.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
It was about access and money for the schools on the outside before. Now it’s nuanced.
Petitti’s argument is that it makes the regular season more interesting by keeping more teams in the running. That’s a pretty straightforward argument whether you agree with it or not so I don’t see an angle where it makes the regular season mean less. The B1G is all about the automatic qualifiers. The B1G would drop the conference championship games and replace them with a play in weekend.
Im not sure this is the crowd I would expect to be supporting quotas but whatever. unserious times.
The SEC plan for 16 with 5 automatic bids should face some of the same scrutiny - it’s just not as silly on the surface. I mean it’s all about the SEC taking over the world and making Alabama the king of FBS but that’s fine. I miss when college football wasn’t so corporate - or at the very least when it pretended it wasn’t. The conference championship just doesn’t mean as much as it used to - maybe to some fans but the players, teams, universities, and conferences don’t seem to care. More playoff games is more content to sell is more money and that’s what matters because this isn’t about student athletes anymore. College football is kaput. Russia won.
Has very little if anything to do with Bama. Its about TV money B!G wants 4 and a 24 SEC wants 16 and 5 which would allow conference championship games to say. ACC has a terrible TV deal and is looking for any extra money they can get. Big 12 will go with the majority after losing their two biggest earners by far
Fire AJ Preller
It is now the Power 4+ Conferences vs. the CFP Committee vs. Congress in some sort of a mega-dollar smackdown.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
You're not serious about Bama right? You understand the context of that long-lived joke regarding Alabama?
.
.
I love a good joke, would you share it with us?
What a great advertisement for Alabama's education system.
What a great advertisement for Minnesota's education system.
.
AI generated.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
I really hope you dont think you were making a joke. And no there is no long lived joke remotely close to that
Fire AJ Preller
You're just so adorably lost.
Not really. The OSU guys say everything is about Bama and dislike the SEC because of them and Georgia. It just wasnt funny and encourages that narrative
Fire AJ Preller
It wasn't trying to be that funny. That's the joke the comedian makes when he's taking a sip of water. It was buried in more words and wasn't trying to carry the weight of the comments itself. Good job pointing out that it's not super funny - good feedback and I take notes. As far as the narrative... you're one to speak of narrative prose... girl we in trouble!
I don't find myself often in-line with or supporting the SEC but today is the exception. I'm hoping they "hold the line" against the Big 10 instigated insistence for a 24-team Playoff format, but I fear and believe they will cave. It seems the winds of change are blowing in that direction, if not this season then soon enough. Such a development will really test my affinity for College Football. I think it's a much better product than the NFL but once $$$$MONEY$$$$ takes hold and gets a final death grip on it I believe it will be irrevocably changed, and not for the better. The sport as we knew it already appears to be on life support and these conferences see themselves as saving it.
I hope I am proved wrong on all points.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Check out the newish protecting college sports act. Probably still not enough senate votes to pass but a line is being drawn around 2 things is the message to the SEC and B1G.
Protect college sports would be a huge win for the NCAA and the mid tier conferences.
Its basically just FOX vs ESPN. ESPN has the SEC rights which include a conference championship and the playoff rights up to 16 teams and Fox has the rights to the B!G. I dont like Sankey as a commish of the SEC, dosent throw his power or weight around enough but theres going to have to be some big changes or concessions for the SEC/ESPN to go to 24 at the moment.
They SEC would go to 16 immediately and everyone thought they would happen, but the B!G blocked it so its going to stay at 12 likely for a few years. Fox wants in on the playoff games even though theyd lose money on the match ups and the B!G wants to get more money to make up for the bad TV that didnt add extra money for teams being added.
Fire AJ Preller
I would like it to stay at 12 teams as well. 12 teams is too many, so more would be even worse.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
JMHO, but the current format of 12 teams is bad because there is no stated process for how a team is chosen or “earns” a place in the Playoff. It’s all done randomly by that CFP Committee and they take their lead from the AP Poll. I don’t trust them to choose who the 12 “best” teams are.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
They SEC would go to 16 immediately and everyone thought they would happen, but the B!G blocked it so its going to stay at 12 likely for a few years.
Proof positive that the SEC no longer rules NCAA football despite the influx of money from sports giant ESPN. It is just as wrong that the Big 10 now has as much power as they do to influence decisions. It would be much better for everyone, especially fans, if these idiots could sit down together and work something out instead of trying to bully and dominate those who should be their "colleagues" into a format they want.
College football is turning really stupid.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Reading some highlights from the SEC meeting: they are still convinced that they are the best Conference and have the best teams despite evidence to the contrary from the past several years. That leads to the inevitable conclusion that since they pay themselves SEC teams need to be "rewarded" for their Strength of Schedule. Yes, that again!!! It is an interesting point to argue until it vanishes like fairy dust every recent post-season.
None of this stuff will be settled until all of NCAA football agrees to some kind of format where they play each other during the regular season. To hear some of these SEC and Big 10 teams lay claim to their strength and realize they have played each other maybe 2-3 times during the regular season in the history of their programs is ridiculous.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Ironically Sankey is the biggest supporter of the NCAA. Hes never been one to really throw around weight anyways. Big 12 has deals with both Fox and ESPN so they can go either way, ACC is ESPN but the deal is so friendly to ESPN they dont really have much power in football.
SEC and B!G are both asking for things they know they wont get as a tactic to get one too meat in the middle. Both are trying to protect their TV deals and set up their next deals. The reason why it seems like the B!G is running the show is that the more teams you propose the more support you get. All the schools that know they have no chance at the playoffs suddenly might have a chance to sneak in with how teams in the 20s are voted which snowballs into conference support and every non power conference is automatic support for expansion anyways if you let them have a team in.
We might be stuck at 12 teams for a while if neither side is going to make concessions. Theoretically ESPN could just keep doing everything they can to block expansion since they have the CFP playoff rights through like 2031.
Fire AJ Preller
It's very common practice to hype up their conference. All of the power four commissioners do it.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
The conferences themselves are still the problem that prevents a system which approaches reason. They are the companies which mess it all up.
We’re stuck at 12 teams for 26 obviously but I would be surprised if it’s not 16 in 2027.
Just to show how ridiculous a 24-team Playoff might be:
Fresh out of the Big 12 Conference meeting, those school's Head Coaches are all for a 24-team field and say they'd have had 5 teams in the Playoff last season instead of just one, Conference Champion Texas Tech. Well, TT got shut-out by Oregon 23-0 so it's reasonable to assume the next 4 wouldn't have fared any better. Do we really need that??
My solution is much more inter-conference play during the regular season, a much better time to figure out who is worthy, and then a smaller field at Playoff time based on record. But it will never happen.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
At one point there were talks with the SEC and B!G to make sure every one of their teams played a team from the others conference each year but that seems to have died down or fallen apart. Theyve generally been lockstep with each other knowing they need to stick together since the non power conferences can outvote them and get their way on every issue if they wanted to.
I think there were some issues with what games would be on what network but there does seem to be tension growing with the playoff situation. Meanwhile the ACC and Big 12 are like kids playing both sides watching mommy and daddy fighting
Fire AJ Preller
Agreed. More playoff teams only means more blowout playoff games. I dont see how that helps the sport. I wouldn't be interested in watching 9-4 Arizona get boat raced by a top 5 team. But since CF is a business, I guess the big wigs only care about the $$$$. More playoff games =more money in their pockets.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
The “more money” angle is really a disheartening aspect of the whole thing. Ticket prices, lodging and travel expenses mean the bulk of fans are excluded from attending most games.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
🙂
The pathetic ref who cost Ohio State the 2019 game against Clemson is gone. The SEC permanently suspended longtime college football referee Ken Williamson from officiating conference games, a disciplinary action confirmed following a string of highly controversial calls during the Auburn-Georgia game. Prior to this ban, Williamson served as the head referee for Ohio State's controversial 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Clemson.
2025 SEC bowl record 4-10
SEC bowl record vs BIG TEN last two years 2-8
Weeding out bad Referees in all levels of sports is sensible since their repeated bad performances have an adverse affect. It happens with all sports and from High School through the NCAA to the NFL.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Its refreshing to actually see refs held accountable and not just be a life time job like its been for a long time unless you get caught gambling. MLB is basically eliminating umps one step at a time theres so many bad ones and theyre to scared to take a stand and get rid of them.
Ill still never get why everything isnt reviewable. If you have the challenges you should be able to use them on whatever you want
Fire AJ Preller
Must the Courts and the US Judicial system always be sought as a last refuge for athletes who try to skirt the rules and then don't like the consequences of their poor decisions?? Ask Brenden Sorsby.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
That's kind of the NCAA's point and a major part of what's going on in the US Legislative and Executive branches regarding College Sports. The NCAA has been fighting against the erosion of their ability to enforce rules against the states, and to a lesser extent, the conferences and now we have a friendly local Texas court trying to reach into NCAA integrity rules. If the injunction is granted I... I kind of want it to happen. Like blow it all up.
Thats literally why theres courts . The Texas court isnt that friendly for Scorsby. The Texas Tech grad judge recused himself. He will likely lose the case and enter the supplemental NFL draft.
NCAA has no one to blame but themselves. They spent decades acting like a dictatorship and even being inconsistent doing so so people started challenging them in court
Fire AJ Preller
I said friendly court because the venue was chosen with intent. Note that friendly isn't the same as saying it's neutral. It's friendly, but if you want to split hairs, it's between friendly and neutral and on the other side of the fence from not friendly. Your point on the judge who recused because of his affiliation with TT; noted, and I was aware... I still think it's friendly.
As far as the suits, sure... that's why there are courts... The NCAA's rules should be reviewed and challenged, but this is clear venue shopping and if he gets an injunction then he wins because he plays while it's argued and that's more of a structural problem here.
The NCAA may have invited the challenges by acting somewhat arbitrarily for decades, but this isn't that. This issue isn't that. This is betting on your own team and at some point we have to say this isn't what the courts are for - to be used as an injunction mechanism to end-around a rule that no one is going to give him a pass on. Saying the NCAA deserves it is just wrong vs. wrong.
He only has until June 22nd to declare for the draft to try and trigger a supplemental draft which hes been preparing for. Theres little chance that this is going to be a long drawn out thing and very unlikely he could play a full season off a simple injunction.
He is considered one of the top QBs in next years loaded class and most likely he will go that route. The clocks ticking on this one and his value goes down significantly if he has to sit out a year for next years draft
Fire AJ Preller
That’s the thing. The injunction will be decided before the 22nd. If he wins then he will likely play the whole season. You have to go way back to 2024 to see that happen. Don’t blink while rewinding or you’ll miss it. That’s the point here. The likelihood is low and I hope I made myself clear that this isn’t a Sherman Act antitrust argument like Pavia had. This has very almost zero merit - none compared to that. The courts are not meant to be used as a path around NCAA rules. Is gambling on your own team a mental health problem? Poor guy. He can eat dirt.
Pavia had a legitimate case with playing in a different organization (JUCO) shouldnt count against NCAA eligibility which is what took that so long. This case is a pretty easy yes or no that even an injunction shouldnt drag out for months and months. He got a big NIL deal from the oil billionaire funding TT, but hes acting likel he knows hes going to lose. What the NFL teams are telling him will be a factor too. He might just drop it if he knows hes going to get drafted
Fire AJ Preller
Yes. we agree Pavia had a legit case. This case seems easy to me too and an injunction SHOULD NOT drag on for months. I put his chances at around 20% and that's mostly on the irreparable-harm case, which is the strongest of their 3 main arguments. Success on the case though... near-zero, and the facts are really ugly for him. I think I heard that TT is pushing for a June 15 decision. I don't see that pressure helps them - if anything it should make a judge want to avoid novel decision here.
In the past the courts have sided against the NCAA because.. and I quote the rulings here... "it costs the NCAA nothing to let the kid play". This is different. He was betting on his own teams.
So, if the injunction is granted then Sorsby's eligibility is restored while the lawsuit proceeds. Discovery, depositions, motions... trial... that's easy 18 months. So the injunction shouldn't drag out for months... sure. SHOULD NOT. It would.
While he does have the same attorney that did have the House case I just dont see the path or how to drag it out here. Its basically the Im addicted and this isnt this first time recently either. Boutte was coming back to LSU senior year and they said not too with all his gambling charges that got dropped probably because someone pulled some strings. Its kinda the same thing but in this case he went to rehab and is calling it mental health since he was diagnosed with it which would potentially mean you could do anything and get away with it.
The current judge went to Houston for law school and a lot of those Texas schools hate each other. Its not exactly a gambling friendly state either as sports betting is still illegal in Texas. Even in Indiana where it was legal and ignoring the whole NCAA and own team thing he was under aged to place bets while he was there. He just turned 22 in January and he was at Indiana as a freshman then 2 years at Cincy. Hes just not old enough to have been legal bets back then. Lawyer gets paid either way and this seems like a pretty quick no not much to think about especially since its been investigated for months already now and hes admitted it.
Fire AJ Preller
Injunction granted - fire away!
Jim
It doesn’t make sense to me. Why have a governing body in the NCAA if courts will be sought to overturn a ruling players/coaches/teams don’t like??
Sorsby gambled on teams, he’s admitted as much. Why should he be reinstated?? Either the NCAA rules are upheld or that body isn’t needed and players/teams/coaches can do whatever they want to do.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin