SEC and Big Ten Dominate College Football Landscape

Anticompetitive moves by the two power conferences have widened the financial gap with other FBS schools

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The evolution of the FBS has been driven by anticompetitive behavior from the SEC and Big Ten conferences, which have expanded by poaching top programs from other leagues. This has led to a massive financial imbalance, with the SEC and Big Ten receiving the majority of College Football Playoff revenues and NIL money, making it increasingly difficult for other schools to compete. The current system works well for the SEC, Big Ten, and a subset of highly compensated athletes, but is detrimental to most FBS members and student-athletes outside of football and men's basketball.

Why it matters

The growing financial disparity between the SEC, Big Ten, and other conferences threatens the competitive balance of college football and the overall health of the sport. Smaller schools are struggling to keep up, while the richest programs continue to pull away, concentrating power and wealth in the hands of a few.

The details

The SEC and Big Ten have deliberately engaged in anticompetitive behavior, inviting USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Oklahoma to join their conferences. This has eviscerated the Pac-12 and Big 12, leading to higher media payouts and increased wealth concentration in the SEC and Big Ten. Conference payouts per school now exceed $50 million for the SEC and Big Ten, compared to around $40 million for the ACC and Big 12, and a fraction of $10 million for the Group of Five conferences. This financial gulf makes it increasingly difficult for schools outside the SEC and Big Ten to compete, a dynamic that the two power conferences seem to view as a feature rather than a bug.

  • In 2021-2024, the Big Ten invited USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington to join, while the SEC added Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12.
  • In 2025, the SEC and Big Ten received $34 million each from the College Football Playoff, while the ACC and Big 12 received $20 million, and the Group of Five conferences received just $4 million each.
  • The long-term revenue sharing plan for the College Football Playoff is expected to give the SEC and Big Ten 58% of the overall revenues, plus 85% of the participation payout.

The players

SEC

The Southeastern Conference, one of the two dominant power conferences in college football.

Big Ten

The Big Ten Conference, the other dominant power conference in college football.

Pac-12

The Pacific-12 Conference, which has been significantly weakened by the SEC and Big Ten's expansion efforts.

Big 12

The Big 12 Conference, which has also been challenged by the SEC and Big Ten's expansion.

Group of Five

The collection of smaller, non-Power Five conferences in college football, including the AAC, Sun Belt, and others.

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What they’re saying

“Huge financial imbalances exist both across conferences and within conferences. Most FBS schools do not make money from football — not just unprofitable athletic departments as a whole; they lose money on football!”

— Richard Sheehan, Professor of Finance, Emeritus, University of Notre Dame (sportsbusinessjournal.com)

What’s next

The House v. NCAA lawsuit and the NCAA v. Alston lawsuit have further exacerbated the financial imbalance in college football, with the SEC and Big Ten schools able to more easily pay athletes through NIL deals. This trend is expected to continue, making it increasingly difficult for smaller schools to compete.

The takeaway

The evolution of the FBS has been driven by the SEC and Big Ten's anticompetitive behavior, leading to a widening financial gulf that threatens the overall competitive balance and health of college football. Unless significant changes are made, the sport risks becoming increasingly dominated by a small number of elite programs, to the detriment of most FBS members and student-athletes.