"Losing power by the day": ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit foresees end of NCAA following latest NIL hearing

Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit expressed his concerns over the NCAA’s latest legal battle over name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Herbstreit was left frustrated by a federal judge's decision to bar the NCAA from enforcing rules that prohibit NIL compensation from being used to recruit athletes. According to the judge, the NCAA’s prohibition likely violates federal antitrust law and harms athletes. Annoyed with this move, the former college football star laid out the next steps for the NCAA to follow.

On Monday's 'Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich' show, Herbstreit stood by the NCAA as he fears losing top college football conferences away from the current setup.

“I feel like the NCAA has lost any power whatsoever in college football,” he said. “I feel like, at this point, as we go to this new world, I would not be surprised. I don’t know how they’d get there," he said.

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Should Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 form a big independent conference?

Herbstreit suggests that the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 should discuss forming a big conference with a solid foundation for the athletes. He also said commissioners like the SEC’s Greg Sankey, the Big Ten’s Tony Petitt, and the ACC’s Jim Phillips focus on having 'one voice' to save college football.

You’d take the Big Ten, whoever it’s going to be – it’s like 60 teams, it’s the Big Ten, it’s the SEC, the ACC and the Big 12 and whoever else – I think they should go form their own world. Create their own governing body. Get one voice, one commissioner, instead of everyone having to get in agreement – these guys don’t always feel comfortable with each other – get one voice.”

NCAA could avoid legal battles or antitrust laws by taking this radical approach suggested by Herbstreit.

“You got to talk about transfer portal, you got to make that more accommodating to the players and the coaches. Where you have more staying power for a program. I don’t know how you’d get there, but I think that’s where we’re headed. Players are going to be employees; you’re late to a meeting, you’re fined. It’s basically going to be the NFL in college football. Somehow, we still have to do academics, talk about the importance of getting an education, even though nobody wants to hear that, it is."