The entire college football world was pleading for a better NIL rulebook, but when one dropped, two conferences were again in a split. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell proposed a bill that could bring proper alignment into the league, but the SEC and Big 10 have pushed back on the idea. And after their joint statement made the buzz, the Congressman labeled them as a threat to college football’s future.

“The arrogance of the Big Ten and the SEC will be the death of sustainable college sports for everyone else,” Congressman Michael Baumgartner said on X.

This comes in after the SEC and Big 10 pushed back the Protect College Sports Act. They released a joint statement in which they laid out why the bipartisan bill still did not solve the problems in college sports.

“We appreciated today’s productive conversation with Senator Cruz regarding the Protect College Sports Act,” the statement read. “It is clear that we all share the same goal of stabilizing collegiate athletics for the long term. We praised positive elements of the bill, especially those that support student-athlete wellness and regulate agents. The SEC and the Big Ten have been consistent from day one: reform needs to happen, and we remain committed to working with our government partners towards lasting solutions.”

The frustration comes in because the Protect College Sports Act aims to create one clear rulebook for college sports. It focuses on major issues like NIL payments, player transfers, and other key parts of college athletics so that every school follows the same system. But despite that, the SEC and Big 10 are not on board with it.

Schools, boosters, and collectives would face tighter limits on how they can pay or support athletes, so compensation would be more controlled and regulated. Athletes would also get one “free” transfer without being punished. At the same time, the bill would set a strict limit of five years of college playing eligibility, and players who turn professional would not be allowed to come back and play college sports.

In addition, the bill gives the NCAA stronger legal protection. This means the NCAA would have more authority to enforce its rules without facing constant lawsuits. But despite all of it, both conferences feel there are issues that are still unresolved.

“While we appreciate the leadership of Senators Cruz and Cantwell in pursuing these shared goals, we do not support the Protect College Sports Act as drafted,” the joint statement read. “The bill leaves critical issues unresolved. It does not meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules, both essential to long-term stability in college athletics.”

One of the major reasons behind this push is financial concerns. The proposal would allow schools to pool and share media rights revenue if at least 75% of programs agree. And that’s not good news for the SEC and Big 10. As they will lose their financial dominance.

The bill would take many important decisions away from college conferences and give that power to Congress and national governing bodies. The conferences believe this would slow things down.

On top of it, their concern is that, instead of fixing problems, the bill could make things worse. If rules are unclear or hard to apply, schools and athletes may end up going to court more often. Right now, both the SEC and the Big Ten are just thinking about their conferences.  So, Baumgartner’s frustration also makes sense. But not everyone is against this bill.

Who all supports the bill?

The ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark support the bill. The AAC also supports it. The support makes sense as Clemson faced a lot of trouble because of tampering, as the team lost a key linebacker, Luke Ferelli, because of it. HC Dabo Swinney has constantly asked for better NIL regulation rules.

Nick Saban, who is a former Alabama coach – a program that is part of the SEC – was present at the Senate hearing on Wednesday. As someone who has, for a long time, expressed displeasure with the direction of college sports, he voiced his strong opinion and showed support for the bill.

“This bill recognizes the difference between real NIL and disguised pay-for-play,” Saban said. “It gives student-athletes a federal right to earn NIL compensation, but it also creates contract, agent, and enforcement rules so that the system has integrity.”

Saban, who is one of the most respected figures in college football, gave an example of his own Alabama program during the hearing. He stated that in 2021, the NIL fund his program had was $2.7 million, but that grew to $24 million in 2025.

American President Donald Trump also showed his support for the Protect the College Sports Act, with a statement on social media.

“This Law resolves many of the most urgent issues challenging our Universities and Student-Athletes, stops the chaos and, most importantly, it may be the last chance to save College Sports, and Colleges themselves, before it’s too late,” Trump wrote.

According to the laws, 60 votes are needed for the act to pass the Senate. At the moment, there are 53 Republican members, which means for this to move to the next stage, seven more democrats will have to vote in favor of it.