A champion will be crowned but college football chaos will linger beyond Indiana-Miami title game

The college football landscape remains tumultuous as multiple issues, including player payments, transfer portal dynamics, and conference investments, continue to cause upheaval. A federal judge approved a settlement allowing schools to pay players up to $20.5 million, yet schools often circumvent this with third-party deals. The Big Ten faced internal conflict over a $2.4 billion media rights investment deal, which Michigan opposed. The NCAA's transfer portal opened with approximately 3,000 players entering, despite a reduction in transfer windows. High-profile transfers, such as Washington's Demond Williams Jr. and Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby, highlight NIL's growing influence.

Congressional efforts to legislate college sports, including the SCORE Act, have stalled, with concerns over NCAA's push for limited antitrust exemptions. The cost of eligibility lawsuits continues to mount for the NCAA. Coaching changes remain a significant financial burden, with schools like Penn State and LSU facing substantial buyouts.

The College Football Playoff system is in flux