Now they’re complaining. After starting this inferno of change, after stoking it over and over with ruthless business moves, now they want help with a fire line.
Because after Texas and Arch Manning toughen up and beat Ole Miss, after Tennessee falls at South Carolina — where the Gamecocks do what they always do under Shane Beamer when there’s no expectations — then what?
After quarterback problems leave Ohio State, Oregon and Michigan with at least three loses. After Iowa finishes with the best record in the Big Ten because it has the easiest road, then what?
Then the SEC and Big Ten want the fire line of strength of schedule to bail them out in the 12-team College Football Playoff. And to this, I hope — wait, I pray — the CFP selection committee has one simple response.
Go scratch.
This is your mess, Big Ten and SEC. Now deal with the consequences for one more season — until your 24-team monstrosity arrives in 2027.
“This conference is the closest thing to the NFL,” says Florida coach Jon Sumrall.
“You better bring it every week in this conference,” says Indiana coach Curt Cignetti.
IRISH EYES: Do you trust Notre Dame football to make playoff? Depends who you ask
HOOSIER HYPE: Indiana blew it against Ohio State. That’s exactly why I’m buying Curt Cignetti
Yeah, well, I don’t care anymore. Nor do a large majority of the very fanbases that helped elevate college football to unthinkable levels of television gold.
They’re not idiots, they can see what has unfolded over the past five years.
They see the mercenary Big Ten and SEC — who killed the Big 12 and Pac-12 as we know it and sent the sport spiraling into every man for himself on and off the field — want their cake above all else.
They expect us to ignore the reality that the Big 12 could have two unbeaten teams heading into Championship Week, or that the ACC could have unbeaten Miami and one-loss SMU in the league’s championship game.
Or — and here’s the real kick in the shorts — the SEC and Big Ten gave a free dance card to Notre Dame if it’s ranked among the Top 12 in the CFP poll.
And if the SEC and Big Ten keep picking off each other week by week, even three-loss Notre Dame (BYU, Miami, SMU) could reach the CFP.
So we’ll take three one-loss teams from the Big 12, two from the ACC and a two- or three-loss Notre Dame, thank you. And we’ll take the highest-ranked Group of Six champion that has no business being there but is — and the mercenaries can have the remaining five to split among their greedy selves.
Do you really think the CFP selection committee is going to magically change 12 years of voting philosophy for one final season — before the annual tough choices end in 2027? It’s wins above all else.
Been that way since the CFP began in 2014, and it’s not going to change on the last season of the 12-team format. They’ll vote the same way they have all along, and maybe — just maybe — out of spite in response for the expansion to 24.
And to this, I say why not?
Why not give the mercenaries some of their own medicine? Why not make them feel a little playoff pain before they start handing out CFP bids like candy to the holiest 34 in the SEC and Big Ten?
Before the SEC and Big Ten finally get that nonconference scheduling agreement set up to further proclaim the value of strength of schedule. At a stand alone cost to television partners, of course.
Not only are we the best conferences, we play each other in the nonconference! Who do the ACC and Big 12 play?
Like we can’t see that coming.
Like we couldn’t see the Big Ten responding to the SEC adding Texas and Oklahoma by torpedoing the Pac-12. First USC and UCLA, then Washington and Oregon.
Despite the whole “Alliance” thing.
Then the SEC and Big Ten threatened to take their ball and go away, so the rest of college football gave them complete control over the postseason. For some reason, no one had the wherewithal to realize the mercenaries would then take the beautiful game and make it their own personal cash cow.
We want to keep our posh coaching and athletic director jobs, so we’re expanding the CFP to 24 teams. And we’ll blame it on ― are you ready for this whopper? — the players!
Those selfish players are bleeding dry our once pristine, fiscally efficient universities and athletic departments. Those free agent freeloaders only want cash, not championships.
Well, doesn’t that sound familiar.
Don’t do it, CFP selection committee. Don’t give these mercenary charlatans their cake.
Then have them eat it right in front of our faces.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC, Big Ten rigged college football for themselves. Now comes the delicious irony