November 10, 2026, 10:13 p.m. ET
Nobody is happy, everyone complains. The commissioners haven’t liked each other from the start, and the coaches are just following suit.
Never have the 34 billion dollar universities in the Big Ten and SEC been so upset about a system they created.
And that was before the latest College Football Playoff poll was released Tuesday night, where the Big Ten and SEC had a combined seven teams in the Top 12. Even that isn’t enough to quell the crises.
Have you, the money-hungry peddlers, not done enough in the NIL era to inadvertently – or, intentionally; it’s still up for debate: destroy college football as we know it?
You created Frankenstein, now live with it.
No more complaining about the CFP selection committee, my schedule versus their schedule, or our conference values versus their conference values. No more empty promises and promotions, no more big ideas that bring little or no return.
This is your system, shut it down and spot the ball.
But there was Florida, a day after the CFP announced it was officially moving to a 24-team field in 2027, canceling a home-and-home series with Notre Dame. These great, amazing, exciting, one-of-a-kind playoffs were supposed to improve the regular season.
Greater access to the CFP means bigger and better regular season non-conference games. If losing teams reach the playoffs, why wouldn’t schools schedule better non-conference games?
Florida dropping Notre Dame wasn’t the first weird schedule change, and it won’t be the last. A day earlier, Notre Dame announced a home-and-home series with Illinois. Not a rival to Michigan, or any other Power Conference team that could stress out the Irish.
But Illinois, which lost to Purdue earlier this season at home, giving the Boilermakers their first Big Ten win since 2023. The same Illinois and coach Bret Bielema, who after beating Nebraska — which, these days, would be like beating Creighton, if Creighton played football — said that if the Illini played in the SEC, they would be in the CFP.
That means Duke – who beat the Illini by a total of 30 points in 2025-26 – would lead the SEC.
Yeah, baby, Duke wants Alabama.
But right on cue, Illinois adding Notre Dame allows Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti to boast about his statement that Big Ten schools will schedule non-conference games once the 24-team format is approved. Case in point: Illinois.
That’s more than can be said about the SEC these days.
A week ago, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said flatly: “I’m a 24-team playoff guy. You have to provide more access to the fans.”
On Tuesday, Drinkwitz turned around and complained about the loss of conference championship games as a direct result of expansion to 24 teams.
“Why are we still associated with conferences if we’re not playing for a conference championship? » he said. “If the goal now is to play in a sea of 24, are we doing this just to plan for affiliation?”
As the great Slim Pickens once said, what is going on out here in the big world of sports?
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey went on the “Finebaum Show” on the SEC Network and complained: Ready for this? — the Big Ten is complaining that the SEC is complaining that the PSC isn’t giving it enough credit for its conference schedule.
Sankey also complained about fans complaining about SEC officiating, which has been sketchy at best this season. He also complained about the talent hired by television partner ESPN — play-by-play analysts, colors and rules — and how they complain about bad officiating.
I’m going crazy just trying to explain it.
Do I really need to remind everyone that the presidents and chancellors of the Big Ten and SEC refused for decades to pay players, then decided to open the doors to NIL and free player movement at the same time? What could go wrong?
That they spent hundreds of millions on litigation, and all they got in return was – in no particular order – unlimited player movement, over $2 billion in back pay to players, revenue sharing, an out-of-control private NIL, an unbalanced, rule-free system that local judges have taken control of, and of course, incessant whining and complaining.
And these dopes are worried about a selection committee using metrics and an eye test to decide Utah is better than a two- or three-loss SEC or Big Ten team?
My goodness, the dreaded 24-team format can’t come soon enough. Because then there will be nothing to complain about.
Until a five-loss SEC or Big Ten team is left behind.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on @MattHayesCFB. Listen daily, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
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