Veteran college football analyst Paul Finebaum recently warned that smaller programs are effectively shut out of the modern game, unable to match the resources of powerhouse schools in the name, image and likeness (NIL) era.
Regulatory Lag and Market Realities
The NCAA’s delayed response to NIL legislation left the landscape as a free‑for‑all, allowing wealthier institutions to leverage deep donor networks and boosters for competitive advantage.
Programs such as Ohio State are projected to operate with a $500 million athletic budget, a figure that dwarfs the budgets of most mid‑major schools and underscores the financial chasm that now defines college sports.
For smaller schools, the consequences are stark: they struggle to attract top recruits, often lose successful coaches, and face a constant cycle of rebuilding after brief moments of triumph.
Policy Responses and Uncertain Relief
The U.S. government is currently reviewing the “Protect College Sports Act,” a legislative attempt that could introduce modest safeguards for less‑resourced programs, though analysts caution that any relief is likely to be partial at best.
Meanwhile, coaches like Curt Cignetti, who guided James Madison to a playoff‑caliber season, illustrate how even promising breakthroughs can be fleeting when larger, richer programs make enticing offers.
Finebaum’s assessment captures a growing consensus: without sweeping reforms, the gap between the haves and have‑nots in college athletics will persist, shaping the future of the sport in ways that favor the established powers.