Current Issues Overview
Issues Plaguing the Current Format
The current NCAA College Football format is riddled with issues that have arose for years.
Issues
Scheduling
Teams schedule weak opponents.
Bowl Games
Inferior playing superior in bowl games.
Opt-Out
Players opting out of bowl games.
Financial
Conferences are run by network money, and teams that contribute little to the sport earn more than those that do.
Left in Dark
Teams left without a solid conference.
Scheduling
Teams schedule weak opponents for an easy win
Weak Schedule:
- Often play against weaker teams for easy victories.
- Games lack national excitement.
Viewership Impact:
- Major networks prefer exciting games to draw viewers.
- Less exciting games are often shown on conference networks or streaming services.
The following schedule from the 2023 season includes only non-conference games. It doesn't account for the consistently lopsided conference play against weaker teams.
| Team | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | UT Martin | 47-7 |
| Georgia | Ball | 45-3 |
| Georgia | UAB | 49-21 |
| Alabama | Utah State | 55-0 |
| Alabama | UL Monroe | 63-7 |
| Alabama | Austin Peay | 34-0 |
| Ohio State | Youngstown State | 35-7 |
| Ohio State | Western Kentucky | 63-10 |
| Oregon | Portland State | 81-7 |
| Oregon | Hawai'i | 55-10 |
| LSU | Grambling | 72-10 |
| LSU | Army | 62-0 |
| LSU | Georgia State | 56-14 |
| Michigan | East Carolina | 30-3 |
Bowl Games
Inferior, playing superior, in bowl games
Matchup Disparity:
- Inferior teams, on paper, are often matched against much superior teams in bowl games.
- The superior team usually wins, but the unlikely upset can happen.
Reason for Matchups:
- Inferior teams may come from running the table in a less competitive conference.
- Superior teams often face tougher competition throughout the season.
Opt-Outs
Players opting out of bowl play
Investment in Athletes:
- Fans and universities invest in student-athletes who are now paid professionals but opt out during bowl season.
Opt-Outs Impact:
- Many athletes opt out of bowl games, negatively affecting their teams.
Player Opt-Outs
Financial
Ran by networks, teams earn more than they should
Unfair Distribution:
- Some teams benefit from others' success without significantly contributing to the conference's value.
Media Money Influence:
- Teams outside the two big conferences, B1G and SEC, have lower chances of benefiting from big media money.
- Recently, media money has influenced realignment.
Conference Revenue Per Team
Left Out
Teams left in the dark in conference realignment
Conference Realignment Impact:
- Realignment can leave teams without a conference.
Teams Affected:
- Washington St, Oregon St, Cal, and Stanford were at risk of being left without a major conference when the Pac-12 collapsed.
ACC Intervention:
- The ACC added Cal and Stanford in a desperate attempt to save itself.
Remaining Teams:
- Washington St and Oregon St were left without a major conference and forced to merge with a lesser conference.
Conference Cage
Teams stuck in conference with failed leadership
Discontent in Conferences:
- Not all teams in each conference want to stay there.
- Many teams and fans notice the failed leadership of their conference.
ACC Issues:
- Every team in the ACC wants to be elsewhere due to dissatisfaction with their media rights deal.
- Filed lawsuits have created turmoil within the ACC.
Pac-12 Collapse:
- Pac-12 became disorganized, and its members were unhappy with its leadership.
- Leadership failed to provide an adequate media rights deal.
Contractual Obligations:
- Contracts force teams to stay in their conference even if leadership is inadequate.
