Open For Business: a Big 12 Podcast w/ John Kurtz

The Protect College Sports Act may be falling apart before it ever reaches a vote. New disputes over the College Football Playoff calendar, bowl game contracts, roster spending and conference expansion have created even more hurdles for the bill in Congress.

What happens if the legislation does not pass by August 7? Greg Sankey has repeatedly warned that the SEC could pursue a different path, but the commissioner is now clarifying what an SEC “breakaway” would actually mean. We examine whether the SEC truly wants to separate from the rest of college football and why self-governance may be nearly impossible to enforce.

The bill could also create one final round of massive college football realignment. A proposed anti-expansion provision could cap conferences at 19 members and force schools changing power conferences to operate as independents for five years. Could that push ACC programs to make a move toward the SEC or Big Ten before the legislation passes?

Plus, new Florida head coach Jon Sumrall took a shot at the Big 12 and ACC while discussing the differences between Power Four conferences. Was Sumrall simply repeating the SEC company line, or did he make a fair point about strength of schedule and College Football Playoff access?

We break down the Protect College Sports Act, Greg Sankey’s latest comments, the possibility of SEC and Big Ten expansion, Jon Sumrall’s comments about the Big 12 and why the SEC continues to attack the rest of college football.

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SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is doubling down on the possibility of the conference breaking away from the NCAA, and he is not the only one saying the threat is real.
Ross Dellenger has reported that an SEC breakaway could become a legitimate “Plan B” if the Protect College Sports Act fails to pass or does not give the SEC and Big Ten enough of what they want. Josh Pate has also said the threat should be taken seriously.
But what does “breaking away” actually mean?
In this video, John Kurtz examines Sankey’s latest comments from SEC Media Days and explains why the headlines may be getting ahead of the reality. Sankey suggested the SEC may be considering something closer to self-governance, including creating and enforcing its own eligibility rules, rather than completely separating from the rest of college football.
The video also explores whether the SEC is using breakaway talk as leverage against Congress, whether the conference could realistically succeed on its own, and why legal challenges involving players such as Diego Pavia, Trinidad Chambliss and Joey Aguilar would not simply disappear under a new system.
Topics discussed include:
Greg Sankey’s SEC breakaway comments
The Protect College Sports Act
Ross Dellenger’s report on the SEC’s “Plan B”
Josh Pate’s warning about the threat
SEC and Big Ten pressure on Congress
NCAA eligibility rules and enforcement
Whether the SEC could govern itself
The long-term future of college football
Is the SEC truly prepared to break away, or is this an effort to force action from Congress before time runs out?
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The SEC is threatening to go nuclear and break away from the current structure of college sports if it does not get what it wants from Congress. But should anyone actually believe Greg Sankey and the SEC this time?

This could be a monumental week for college football as lawmakers consider major changes to the proposed federal college sports bill. The latest revisions could impact conference realignment, Power Four expansion, NIL enforcement, revenue-sharing limits and the possibility of a future super league. We break down what the SEC and Big Ten are demanding, whether the SEC’s latest threat is legitimate and what could happen if the bill falls apart.

Plus, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi says the Big Ten is overrated. Does he have a legitimate point about the conference’s depth, or is he the wrong person to make that argument after the Big Ten’s recent run of national championships?

We also discuss whether Clemson’s elite run is officially over under Dabo Swinney and which programs could become the next Clemson. Could Texas Tech, BYU, SMU, Louisville or Indiana make a similar leap into the national championship conversation?

Also on the show:

• Post Malone wears an Iowa shirt inside Jack Trice Stadium
• Texas Tech lands a major stadium naming-rights deal
• The latest changes to the federal college sports bill
• Why the SEC and Big Ten want protections against a super league
• Whether conference realignment could accelerate again
• The future of NIL and the revenue-sharing cap
• Which Big 12 program has the best chance to become college football’s next powerhouse

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The SEC and Big Ten appear poised to get many of the changes they demanded in the Protect College Sports Act, raising even more questions about who really controls the future of college football.

John Kurtz breaks down the latest reporting on negotiations in Washington, including possible changes to conference expansion restrictions, media-rights pooling, NIL enforcement, transfer rules and eligibility limits. With Ted Cruz suggesting the bill could reach the Senate floor soon, the SEC and Big Ten may once again be positioned to shape the rules for everyone else.

Plus, Michigan football is facing another major scandal after an external investigation revealed new details about what athletic director Warde Manuel knew regarding former head coach Sherrone Moore’s relationship with a staff member. Why has Michigan avoided becoming the national villain of college football despite scandals involving Jim Harbaugh, Connor Stalions and now Moore?

Finally, new campaign finance records show Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell donated $274,000 to a committee supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton one day before Paxton threatened legal action against the Big 12 over Brendan Sorsby. Was it simply political influence, or something more concerning? And what does it tell us about how far Campbell is willing to go to get what he wants?

Topics include:

SEC and Big Ten Protect College Sports Act demands
Big 12 and ACC conference expansion protections
College football NIL and revenue sharing rules
One-time transfer and five-year eligibility limits
Michigan football scandal and Warde Manuel
Sherrone Moore investigation
Connor Stalions and Jim Harbaugh
Cody Campbell donation to Ken Paxton
Texas Tech and Brendan Sorsby
Big 12 legal battle
College football politics and corruption

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Can Houston break through and become a College Football Playoff contender in 2026?

Willie Fritz believes the Cougars finally have the experience, depth and continuity needed to take a major step forward in the Big 12. Houston returns productive players on both sides of the ball, all three coordinators and a quarterback in Conner Weigman who is finally healthy and operating in the same offensive system for a second straight season.

John Kurtz sits down with Fritz to discuss why Houston could be one of the Big 12’s surprise teams, how the Cougars upgraded the offensive line through the transfer portal and why the offense now has quality depth at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.

Fritz also talks about Houston’s two former five-star quarterbacks, Keisean Henderson’s rapid development, Amari Thomas’ NFL potential and why this roster is starting to look like the team he envisioned when he took the job.

Could Houston make a run at the Big 12 Championship and crash the College Football Playoff?

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