The End of Conferences? College Football’s New Reality

Conference championship games are ending and Big Ten football is facing an existential threat. Eli Drinkwitz and other coaches are openly questioning why teams stay in conferences at all now that title games are gone and the focus is only the expanded playoff. The Protect College Sports Act may lock in a system of pure scheduling and media rights cartels, making independence more attractive for Ohio State, Michigan, USC, and Penn State. If Miami and other ACC brands test independence first, a cascade could follow—big brands forming their own schedules and even a private playoff instead of sharing revenue with...