As the 2024 season draws near, the college football landscape is about to undergo a significant transformation. Player empowerment, NIL deals, coaching carousels, conference realignments, and other factors are upending the formerly predictable world of gridiron glory.

Rearranging Conferences: A Brand-New Super-conference Era

The establishment of super-conferences is among the biggest shifts impacting collegiate football. Universities from other conferences have been actively absorbed by the Big Ten and SEC, which are already dominant in the sport. College football’s traditional division structure and bowl system are in doubt as a result of this restructuring, which has produced two powerful leagues.

Intense rivalries and a wider geographic reach have also been ignited by the inclusion of new members. For example, the Big Ten’s growth into the South and Midwest has led to new rivalries between legendary schools like Florida and Michigan. In the same vein, the competitiveness in the South has increased with the SEC’s admission of Texas and Oklahoma.

The Mentoring Wheel: A Continual State of Change

With well-known coaches switching to new institutions in quest of better chances or higher pay, the coaching carousel is turning at an incredibly fast rate. Traditional rivalries have been upended by this turnover, and questions over the programs’ future have been raised.

For instance, the collegiate football community was shocked to learn that Lincoln Riley had recently transferred from Oklahoma to USC. Riley’s action not only made the Trojans stronger but also made the Sooners weaker, possibly changing the Pac-12’s dynamic.

NIL Deals and Player Empowerment

College football players can now profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) through endorsements, sponsorships, and other business endeavours. This marks the beginning of the player empowerment era. Although players now have never-before-seen possibilities thanks to this increased flexibility, concerns have also been voiced over the system’s fairness and the possibility of misuse.

The sport has been greatly impacted by players’ freedom to move without facing consequences. Now, athletes don’t have to wait a year to transfer from their current school to pursue chances at other colleges. Because of this, it is now harder for schools to keep their rosters stable and there is more rivalry for elite talent.

The NCAA Football Playoffs Are Growing

Teams from conferences other than the Power Five now have greater chances to contend for a national championship thanks to the expansion of the College Football Playoff (CFP) from four to twelve teams. Both enthusiasm and doubt have been expressed about this expansion.

Some claim that the 12-team playoff system will reward worthy teams and increase inclusivity, while others claim it will dilute the championship and lead to a crowded postseason. Whether the expansion is successful or not will only have to wait and see.

How College Football Will Develop Future

College football is going through a time of tremendous transformation as it develops further. The game’s environment is changing as a result of the creation of super-conferences, the coaching carousel, player empowerment, and CFP growth.

What is known is that college football is about to enter a new era marked by competitiveness, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence. The future of the sport is unclear.