Speculation grows that Ohio State could leave Big Ten to compete as football independent
A column by The Athletic's Stewart Mandel raises the possibility of Ohio State departing the Big Ten to operate as a college football independent, a status currently held almost exclusively by Notre Dame. Mandel argues that growing conference irrelevance — driven by a potential 24-team College Football Playoff expansion and the elimination of conference championship games — could make independence financially attractive for elite programs. He suggests that a group of the most valuable football brands in the country joining Notre Dame as independents could allow each school to build a compelling schedule through home-and-home series with one another and opponents from the ACC and Big 12. Mandel contends Ohio State would likely earn more from selling its games individually to networks than it currently receives as one share among roughly 18 Big Ten members.
The Big Ten at this point is mostly just a TV bundle," Mandel writes.
Why it matters
For brands: Sponsors and corporate partners connected to Big Ten schools or the conference itself would need to reassess their agreements if marquee programs exit.
For media: A shift toward independence for top programs would reshape how college football broadcast rights are packaged and sold, potentially breaking up the Big Ten's current TV bundle.
For athletes: College football players at Ohio State and other major programs could see their school's conference affiliation — and thus scheduling, travel, and rivalries — change significantly.
For collectives: Revenue model changes tied to conference departure could affect how much money flows to programs and, by extension, to NIL collectives tied to those schools.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports college football
Sources
- Yahoo Sports college football: Ohio State Buckeyes Might Become College Football Independent