Big Ten, SEC broke college football. Now they won’t stop whining about it

Major Ten, SEC broke college football. Now they won't stop whining regarding it.

Key points

• That means Duke – which has beaten the Illini by a combined 30 points in 2025-26 – would be on top of the SEC.
• Paul Myerberg tries to create the case for the Utah Utes to take the number one spot in College Football Playoff Rankings over Georgia Bulldogs.
• But there was Florida, a day after the CFP confirmed it was officially moving to a 24-team field in 2027, canceling a home-and-home series with Notre Dame.
• But Illinois, which earlier this season lost to Purdue at home, giving the Boilermakers their first Major Ten win since 2023.
• Never have the 34 billionaire universities in the Major Ten and SEC been so ticked off at a system of their making.

Major Ten, SEC broke college football. Now they won't stop whining regarding it. Matt Hayes USA TODAY. Utah's case to be number one in CFP Ranking.

No one's happy, everyone's complaining. The commissioners haven't liked each other from the jump, and the coaches are simply after suit.

And this was before the latest College Football Playoff poll was published Tuesday night, where the Sizeable Ten and SEC had a combined seven teams in the Top 12. Even that isn't enough to tamper the tantrums.

IT'S INEVITABLE: You'll hate a 24-team College Football Playoff. You'll watch anyway.

Haven't you money-hungry hucksters 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 whining regarding the CFP selection committee, or my schedule vs. Their schedule, or our conference values vs. Their conference values. No more empty promises and promotion, no more major ideas leading to little or no return. This is your system, shut it and spot the ball.

But there was Florida, a day after the CFP confirmed it was officially moving to a 24-team field in 2027, canceling a home-and-home series with Notre Dame. This great, stupendous, exciting and one-of-a-kind playoff was supposed to enhance the regular season.

More access to the CFP means bigger and better regular season nonconference games. If four-loss teams will reach the playoff, why wouldn't schools schedule better nonconference games?

Florida dumping Notre Dame wasn't the first strange scheduling move, and won't be the last. A day earlier, Notre Dame confirmed a home-and-home series with Illinois. Not rival Michigan, or any other Power conference team that could stress the Irish.

But Illinois, which earlier this season lost to Purdue at home, giving the Boilermakers their first Major Ten win since 2023. The same Illinois and coach Bret Bielema. This person after beating Nebraska – which these days, would be like beating Creighton, if Creighton played football – declared if the Illini played in the SEC, they'd be in the CFP.

That means Duke – which has beaten the Illini by a combined 30 points in 2025-26 – would be on top of the SEC. Yeah, baby, Duke wants Alabama. ANALYSIS: CFP rankings winners, losers headlined by Alabama's lead on Tennessee.

LANE BLAME: Lane Kiffin wants someone to blame for LSU mess. Try the mirror Opinion.

But right on cue, Illinois adding Notre Dame allows Major Ten commissioner Tony Petitti to crow concerning his declaration that Major Ten schools will schedule up in nonconference games once the 24-team format is approved. Case in point: Illinois.

Which is more than can be remarked for the SEC of late.

In practice, a week ago, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz flatly remarked, "I'm a 24-team playoff guy. You have to provide more access for fanbases."

On Tuesday, Drinkwitz whipped around and complained regarding the loss of conference championship games, a direct result of expanding to 24 teams.

Why are we associated with conferences anymore if we're not playing for a conference championship? he remarked. 'If the point now is just to be playing into a sea of 24, are we just doing it for scheduling affiliation?

As the great Slim Pickens once remarked, what in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey jumped on the "Finebaum Show" on the SEC Network, and complained regarding – ready for this? – the Sizeable Ten complaining regarding the SEC complaining concerning the CFP not giving the SEC enough credit for its conference schedule.

Sankey additionally complained concerning fans complaining regarding SEC officiating. It has been sketch at best this season. He additionally complained concerning the talent hired by television partner ESPN – play-by-play, color and rules analysts – and how they're complaining regarding the poor officiating. I'm getting loopy just trying to explain it.

Do I really have to remind everyone the presidents and chancellors of the Major Ten and SEC refused for decades to pay players, then decided to throw open the doors to NIL and free player movement meanwhile? What could go wrong?

That they spent hundreds of millions in litigation, and all they obtained for it was – in no certain order – unlimited player movement, more than $2 billion owed in back pay to players, revenue sharing, uncontrollable private NIL, an unhinged, no rules system that local judges seized control of, and of course, non-stop whining and complaining.

And these dopes are worried regarding a selection committee using metrics and the eye test to decide that Utah is better than a two- or three-loss SEC or Sizeable Ten team?

My goodness, the dreaded 24-team format can't obtain here shortly enough. Since then there will be nothing to complain concerning. Until a five-loss SEC or Major Ten team gets left out.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around big Ten, SEC broke college football. Now they won't stop whining about point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.