CFB super league vs SEC-Big Ten partnership: Which model is best for reinstating stability in college football?

Early in April, a group of influential leaders in the college football world brought about the idea of a super league. This is a single league overseeing the highest level of collegiate football, eliminating the need for a conference. This was aimed at fixing the landscape’s dead system.

Before then, the two biggest conferences in college football, the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, formed a joint advisory group in February. The alliance, which many believe could lead to a potential merger, was done in a bid to address the issues facing the landscape.

With the two options in the works, we examine which of the proposed models is the best one for reinstating stability in the landscape at a time when the system is deeply troubled.

Which model can help bring stability to college football?

At a time when college football has become lucrative and programs are making more decisions influenced by money, an alliance of the two biggest leagues will only further deepen the decadence. This makes the Super League a more viable option bringing back stability.

The SEC and the Big Ten together command the lion's share of the landscape revenue. They have the most prominent programs and offer competitiveness at a higher level than others. This made them lead the way in terms of followers and television audiences across the country.

The partnership of the two conferences is bound to impoverish the others in the landscape. This will only add salt to the injury, making the landscape more polarized. While the alliance can give a glimpse into a properly run league, the effect on other conferences is concerning.

This presents the Super League as a more viable option in addressing the challenges of the collegiate football landscape. The model carries along the entirety of programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision and presents a clear pathway to overcoming the current challenges.

The college football “Super League” proposal

The Super League is a solid attempt to reshape the college football landscape. The transformative idea is set to be brought by the coalition of college presidents, along with a key figure in the inner circle of the NFL as well as top executives in the American sports industry.

The framework carefully outlines a league system consisting of the top 70 programs from the Power Five leagues, including Notre Dame and ACC's new member SMU. This group will be considered permanent members in a structure that carries along other Power Five teams.

The model will undoubtedly be a paradigm shift in the landscape as it aims to adequately replace the NCAA and the College Football Playoff with a whole new structure. There’s a strong belief among its advocates that it is a viable solution to the challenges of the realm.