As the 2026 college football season approaches, influence within the sport extends far beyond coaches and athletic directors. Power now lies in diverse sectors including legal rulings, media rights negotiations, federal legislation, and athlete representation, all shaping the future landscape of college football.
At the forefront is Tony Petitti, commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, which has secured three consecutive College Football Playoff (CFP) championships in recent seasons and generated a record $1.37 billion in revenue distributed among its 18 member institutions. Petitti has also been a key figure in resisting the proposed expansion of the CFP to 24 teams.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC), led by commissioner Greg Sankey, remains a dominant force in college football’s market and visibility, boasting the most preseason-ranked teams across major polls despite recent losses in national titles to the Big Ten. Sankey’s conference continues to command substantial attention and revenue.
Broadcast executives hold significant influence, with ESPN’s Burke Magnus overseeing content strategy that includes elevating on-air talent like Pat McAfee, who is reportedly the network’s highest-paid personality and a major draw for some top recruits. Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks is also a notable presence, aggressively expanding Fox’s footprint in college football coverage with initiatives such as the “Big Noon Kickoff” show.
Legal decisions have introduced new complexities to the college athletics ecosystem. U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney’s July 31 ruling granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, allowing 2022 high school graduates an additional year of collegiate eligibility. Although this decision was temporarily stayed by a three-judge panel, it has prompted ongoing litigation and has significant implications for athlete compensation and eligibility standards.
On the legislative front, Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have been instrumental in advancing the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at reforming oversight in college athletics. The bill, slated for a Senate floor vote, seeks to preserve the current collegiate model while introducing regulatory guardrails amid the evolving NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) landscape and membership realignments.
Athlete and coach representation agencies wield considerable power. Athletes First stands out as a leading firm representing hundreds of student-athletes and top college coaches alike. Meanwhile, agent Jimmy Sexton, heading CAA’s college coaching division, represents multiple head coaches of top-ranked teams including Georgia, Texas, and Oregon, exerting significant influence over coaching hires and contract negotiations.
Institutional leaders have also taken vocal stands on key issues. Jere Morehead, president of the University of Georgia, and Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University and Chair of the CFP Board of Managers, have expressed opposition to the proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff and support for potential conference-led departures from the NCAA framework if federal reforms stall.
Other notable figures include Pat McAfee, whose media presence extends beyond broadcasting into player recruitment impact; Chris Del Conte, athletic director at Texas, who facilitated the Longhorns’ entry into the SEC; and Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame’s athletic director, whose background in sports media and agency work informs his leadership role.
Collectively, these 25 individuals and entities illustrate the multifaceted nature of power in college football today, where legal, media, legislative, and commercial considerations increasingly determine the direction of the sport as the 2026 season begins.