Kirk Herbstreit urges Power 4 to ‘break away’ to fix college football

College football is facing significant challenges due to its lack of centralized leadership, with conference commissioners prioritizing individual agendas over the sport's collective health. This issue has been underscored by recent debates on playoff expansion and revenue sharing. The disparity between major conferences and other subdivisions is growing, raising concerns about antitrust laws and player compensation.

Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN analyst, emphasized the need for a centralized leadership structure in college football, comparing the current disjointed system to an NFL without a commissioner. He suggested that the Power Four conferences should break away to form their own governance, allowing them to operate independently and establish legal protections against litigation.

Herbstreit argues that the current absence of a national governance model leaves the sport vulnerable to legal challenges and logistical issues. The proposed separation would create a new league structure with its own championship system, while the Group of Five programs could establish a format similar to the FCS. This change aims to address the ongoing legal and organizational challenges facing college football.