Iowa State AD urges Big Ten and SEC to leave NCAA if they reject CSC oversight
The athletic director argues that if the Big Ten and SEC refuse to follow the College Sports Commission, they should take all sports with them rather than just football.
Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard has publicly challenged the Big Ten and SEC conferences to adhere to the regulations established by the College Sports Commission (CSC), warning that non-compliance warrants a complete separation from the NCAA. Speaking at a booster event in Des Moines on Monday, Pollard expressed frustration that two of the four Power Four commissioners helped fund the CSC, only for their conferences to disregard its authority.
The CSC was established under the House v. NCAA settlement to monitor third-party Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) contracts and oversee the revenue-sharing model. Pollard questioned the utility of the entity if major conferences refuse to participate, stating, "The same people that say they want rules only want rules if they don't apply to them." He suggested that the Big Ten and SEC should break away from the NCAA entirely, including all sports, rather than attempting to opt out of rules that specifically limit their financial advantages.
Pollard emphasised that any potential split must encompass all athletic programmes, not just football. He cautioned the conferences to consider the operational difficulties of leaving with only their football teams, noting they would have to manage baseball, softball, and track alone. "Let's quit talking about it, quit threatening and go do it," Pollard said. "But if you're going to do it, you don't get to just do it in football and then keep all your other sports with us."
The comments come amid rising roster spending in college football, with contender-level teams potentially approaching $40 million in 2026. While most Power Four rosters cost between $14 million and $16 million, sources indicate that several programmes have surpassed the $30 million mark. A recent CBS Sports study identified the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish as the only non-Big Ten or SEC programmes among the 10 most complete rosters for the 2026 season, highlighting the competitive disparity Pollard referenced.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has previously stated he is against any immediate changes to the House settlement without a sustainable long-term plan. Meanwhile, data from the 247Sports Team Composite Rankings shows that only seven of the 25 highest-rated recruiting classes for 2026 came from the Big 12 or ACC. Pollard’s remarks underscore the growing tension between elite programmes seeking expanded revenue-sharing and the regulatory framework designed to maintain competitive balance.
