2026 College Football Thread

[MurphysTillClose]

The SEC, who has been paying players for decades and the impetus for many NCAA crazy rules on eligibility, now says "College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference.". LOL! Every single SEC player is officially a professional athlete.

You should call out specific programs, not conferences. tOSU, Oregon, USC, etc....

Hasn't just been the SEC playing that game for a while. They were just better at it.

[MurphysTillClose]

You should call out specific programs, not conferences. tOSU, Oregon, USC, etc....

Hasn't just been the SEC playing that game for a while. They were just better at it.

And how could I forget Dabo and Clemson? Shoutout NewSpring Church.

[Pakuni]

So true.  The SEC was the only conference doing it.

SEC schools should run clean programs like USC, Michigan and Florida State.

[Uncle Rico]

SEC schools should run clean programs like USC, Michigan and Florida State.

It was the SEC dominated the sport from the 70's on.  The dynasties of the league in that era were incredible.

[WhiteTrash]

Yes, most were guilty but the SEC & SWC were true professionals at cheating. In the 80's they said Kentucky players took a pay cut to go to the NBA.

Since the SEC was the one making a public comment, I only pointed them out.

[Uncle Rico]

Yes, most were guilty but the SEC & SWC were true professionals at cheating. In the 80's they said Kentucky players took a pay cut to go to the NBA.

Since the SEC was the one making a public comment, I only pointed them out.

As professional as the Pac-10, Big 8, Big Ten, Metro and ACC?  Sure.

[WhiteTrash]

As professional as the Pac-10, Big 8, Big Ten, Metro and ACC?  Sure.

The SEC makes a questionable/laughable statement and this is your focus? Okay. Not sure it impacts the point being made.

[Uncle Rico]

The SEC makes a questionable/laughable statement and this is your focus? Okay. Not sure it impacts the point being made.

You added the qualifier.

[MU82]

From The Athletic:

Question for Lane Kiffin: What's it say to the players on your $40 million roster if you're trying to add three NFL-ish guys ... a week before playing Clemson?

[Pakuni]

Big 10 bans any players who entered the draft without withdrawing, signed a pro contract and/or ever appeared in a pro roster.
Hopefully the other conferences follow suit.

[WhiteTrash]

Big 10 bans any players who entered the draft without withdrawing, signed a pro contract and/or ever appeared in a pro roster.
Hopefully the other conferences follow suit.

And the courts follow too.  

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

And the courts follow too.  

Hard to keep all this straight, but my understanding is that conference rules are a lot more difficult to challenge in court than NCAA rules. I think this one has staying power.

[Pakuni]

Hard to keep all this straight, but my understanding is that conference rules are a lot more difficult to challenge in court than NCAA rules. I think this one has staying power.

Right. To challenge it in court would first require a member institution to accept, enroll and roster a former pro player - something all just unanimously approved a rule not to do. Then that member institution would have to be willing to go up against all the other schools ... something Texas Tech found out with Sorsby isn't worth the fight. Because even if you win the battle, you might lose the war.

[WhiteTrash]

Right. To challenge it in court would first require a member institution to accept, enroll and roster a former pro player - something all just unanimously approved a rule not to do. Then that member institution would have to be willing to go up against all the other schools ... something Texas Tech found out with Sorsby isn't worth the fight. Because even if you win the battle, you might lose the war.

That makes sense. Thanks for the insight.

[GB Warrior]

Big 10 bans any players who entered the draft without withdrawing, signed a pro contract and/or ever appeared in a pro roster.
Hopefully the other conferences follow suit.

Badgers are committed to not having NFL level talent so complying was a no brainer

[Pakuni]

SEC enacts the same ban. LOL, Lane.
Though now that there are potential plaintiffs with standing, this could result in a legal challenge.

https://x.com/SEC/status/2092383884872765473?s=20

[Pakuni]

Pat Forde
@ByPatForde
·
Sources: SEC penalties for programs playing former pro athletes from NFL/NBA/WNBA:
* Half-season suspension for head coach.
* Fine commensurate with 50% of the sport's budget.
* SEC voting privileges revoked on business matters
* Commissioner has latitude to apply other sanctions

[MU82]

Right. To challenge it in court would first require a member institution to accept, enroll and roster a former pro player - something all just unanimously approved a rule not to do. Then that member institution would have to be willing to go up against all the other schools ... something Texas Tech found out with Sorsby isn't worth the fight. Because even if you win the battle, you might lose the war.

Couldn't athletes sue?

[Pakuni]

Couldn't athletes sue?

Someone first would need standing to sue. To the best of my knowledge, there are no former NFL players on Big 10 rosters, so who's going to sue? A player currently not on a roster can't claim he's being unlawfully denied the right to play or be on the roster. A Big 10 program first would need to be willing to break conference rules and sign that player.

And college athletes aren't a protected class, so there's no civil rights claim to be had here.

As I noted later with the SEC decision, there are players with standing to sue there. I have no idea whether they'll be successful, but I think it'll be harder than litigation against the entire NCAA. A player banned by the NCAA can argue he's being denied the right to play/work. A player banned by certain conferences can't make that same claim.
The second part of that is whether schools really think it's worth the fallout of taking on their entire conference just to get a few players on the field. Texas Tech tried it with Sorsby, didn't like the result and backed down awfully fast.
Is a P4 school really going to risk its standing in a conference over a few players? Is Lane Kiffin going to risk half his salary - and is his AD going to risk half his football budget - for a second-team All-SEC tight end?