College football analyst J.D. Pickell believes that the notion of needing more parity in college football is a myth. Pickell pointed out that recent seasons have seen teams like TCU and Washington compete for national championships. Even Cincinnati, a Group of Five team, made the College Football Playoff.
He is of the opinion that the sport already has a significant level of parity. Pickell believes that despite conference realignments making regular-season schedules tougher for powerhouses like Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, and Alabama, these teams will still dominate the 12-team playoff field:
"Georgia and Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Ten and two versions of those teams, they're still getting into the 12 team field."
He added that talent acquisition remains a critical factor for teams:
"A blueblood may miss on a five-star here and there because of NIL, it's also true that they're probably still going to land the majority of the five-stars they otherwise would have still landed."
In contrast, Former Alabama coach Nick Saban offered a different perspective, focusing on the role of NIL:
"I think the system that we have in the NFL, where players are employees, would be better than the system that we have now because at least it creates parity."
Ultimately, while there are differing views on the impact of NIL and the structure of college football, dominant programs like Georgia, Alabama, and Michigan continue to secure top recruits and remain perennial playoff contenders.
Greg Swaim claims Big 12 college football has "terrific parity"
CFB analyst Greg Swaim has said that the Big 12 college football has "terrific parity," setting it apart from other conferences dominated by the same teams year after year. He credited the Big 12's innovative expansion and strong leadership under Commissioner Brett Yormark:
"There are a lot of good teams in the #Big12, and the conference has terrific parity, unlike other conferences that just have the same teams every year," Swaim tweeted.
Over the last few years, the Big 12 added eight new teams, including the BYU Cougars, UCF Knights, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Houston Cougars.
The Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes, and Utah Utes will also join the conference.
This proactive expansion strategy contrasts sharply with the Pac-12's struggles, where 10 of 12 members will depart after the 2023-24 season, leaving only Oregon State and Washington State behind.
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