College football conference realignment: Is the SEC-Big Ten partnership eyeing complete monopoly over P5 as potential ACC collapse looks inevitable?

The landscape of college football conference realignment could experience significant change following a new proposal being worked on by the two biggest conferences.

According to reports, the SEC and Big Ten are making significant strides toward establishing a revenue-sharing plan involving student-athletes. This proposal will mark a shift in the trajectory of college athletics if it’s eventually ratified.

The two conferences formed a partnership in February, which led to the creation of a joint advisory board. This was done in an effort to address the issues that lie ahead in shaping the future landscape of the NCAA. The partnership seems to be at work, creating fear of monopoly across the landscape, especially in the Power Five.

Is the SEC-Big Ten partnership eyeing monopoly over Power Five?

The latest move in the partnership SEC and Big Ten will undoubtedly make the two leagues more dominant in college football. Nonetheless, the two conferences have strongly denied working toward monopoly or attempting to break away from the NCAA.

There's been a lot of fear since the partnership was announced and this further intensifies the concern within the landscape. However, the partnership was debunked by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey during his appearance on “The Paul Finebaum” show in February.

“This effort to form an advisory group is not about the NCAA," Sankey said. "We need a healthy national governing body. To the extent we can contribute to that in any way, that explains more what our focus will be."

Nonetheless, the partnership poses a lot of threats. Sharing revenue with athletes will see the best talents entering the college football landscape seek a move to either the SEC or the Big Ten. The two generate the biggest revenue and will have more to share.

The two conferences will have a bigger advantage when it comes to recruiting from high school and acquiring from the transfer portal. Also, at a time when college football conference realignment is hot, the two will be able to lure away schools from other conferences.

The implications for college football conference realignment

Their partnership also has a lot of implications for the college football conference realignment landscape, especially at a time when the Atlantic Coast Conference is in the midst of chaos. This could make the fall of ACC an inevitable event as teams seek to exit.

This could also create an increased push from teams in other Power Five leagues to seek a move to the SEC and the Big Ten. The likes of Clemson and Florida State are already working on that and this could one day happen in the Big 12, leading to the existence of “Power Two.”

The future of college football conference realignment remains unpredictable. However, the SEC and the Big Ten will always have an edge in the landscape, especially with their partnership.