We’re less than 75 days from kickoff, thanks to Iowa State and Kansas State playing in Ireland—and I don’t know about you, but this offseason has felt like an eternity compared to past years.
Not that long ago, the college football offseason was fairly slow and uneventful. There was the occasional transfer (who typically had to sit out a year) and a few recruiting storylines. Then came conference media days and, just like that, the season was upon us.
However, in recent years, everything has changed. Conference realignment has dominated the headlines, and for a while, we weren’t even sure the Big 12 would survive once Texas and Oklahoma bolted.
Thankfully, the league did survive, thanks in part to the work of former commissioner Bob Bowlsby and current commissioner Brett Yormark. The Big 12 went from ten teams to fourteen, and for now, has settled at sixteen.
College athletes are now getting paid, not just through NIL, but directly by the schools themselves. Starting July 1, Big 12 programs can distribute up to $20.5 million in revenue-sharing with athletes for the 2025–26 year. Most of that money will go to football and men’s basketball. NIL is still in play, but any deal over $600 must now be cleared by NIL Go.
Whether it’s above board or under the table, college athletes are going to get paid. In fact, some players will make more money in college than they ever will as professionals. And if your school wants to compete for a conference—or national—title, it better be ready to back up the Brinks truck.
Money isn’t the only thing moving. Players are, too—faster than ever—thanks to the transfer portal. It’s no longer rare for a player to spend four years in college and wear four different jerseys.
Then there are the lawsuits. Everywhere. To the point that now we’ve got politicians stepping in. And let’s be real: if Congress can’t agree on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, they probably aren’t going to fix college football. But sure—let’s give it a shot.
The truth? College football isn’t just changing by the year—it’s changing by the day. For better or worse, this is the new normal. It’s not 1995, 2005, or even 2015. It’s 2025, and this is what we’ve got: chaos, 24/7.
I’ve kept myself somewhat sane thanks to college baseball—and Arizona making a run to the College World Series for the Big 12—but even that ends soon.
I hate to be the old man yelling at clouds, but as a guy in his 30s, I feel a hell of a lot closer to 50 than I do to 21. Maybe it’s the knees. Maybe it’s the whiskey. Or maybe it’s the grind of covering this sport nonstop for the last few years.
The headlines will keep coming, and the stories will pile up as we get closer to Big 12 Media Days next month. But the one thing that’s been stuck in my head?
Football.
The countdown clock to kickoff is the only thing keeping me grounded right now.
Forget the lawsuits, the bickering, and the red tape. Just give me a Saturday. Give me the game. Because no matter how many suits try to ruin it, college football at its core is still a thing of beauty.
We’re getting closer—but man, it still feels so far away.
