While the hype is mostly about the on-field college football games out in front of millions, the real power struggles often happen in the shadows—where boosters, NIL deals, and backroom negotiations determine the future of a program just as much as a five-star recruit’s 40-yard dash time. But the NCAA’s latest proposed rule shifts the balance of power in ways that no playbook can scheme around. With new penalties aimed at curbing under-the-table payments and tampering, the teams that have traditionally played by the rules may finally find themselves on a more level playing field. And one conference, in particular, stands to benefit the most.

NCAA president Charlie Baker believes there’s time to figure out the transfer portal window situation after FBS coaches voted a month ago to significantly cut down the violations. For years, college football has operated under an open secret: NIL was never truly about endorsements — it was about pay-for-play. It wasn’t a coincidence that the sport’s biggest recruiting wins often coincided with whispers of seven-figure deals that had nothing to do with commercials or social media promotions. On, The Big Ten Huddle Podcast, host JR broke down how Big Ten teams will benefit from stricter penalties.

At the 9:00 minute mark, he said, “Let’s say, South Carolina goes out and they have a player sign an NIL deal to do something with this car salesman, and this car salesman doesn’t actually have him do it, but he still pays him.” Under the new rules, this kind of maneuver won’t just be frowned upon — it’ll have real financial consequences. “This enforcement arm would come in and say, ‘You never actually did the work, so we are going to punish South Carolina and say instead of having twenty million dollars a year to use in revenue sharing, you now only have sixteen million for the next two years.’”

In other words, for the first time, there’s a legitimate deterrent for schools that have blurred the lines between NIL and outright recruiting payments. That’s exactly why the Big Ten — known for its rigid compliance and strict adherence to NCAA rules — could emerge as the biggest winner. “Why does this matter for the Big Ten? Well, it’s because the SEC has a long history, and some schools in the ACC, too, of going out and paying players for them just to play,” the insider explained.

It’s no secret that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has long been at the forefront of these NIL-fueled bidding wars, with certain programs seemingly able to outspend their competitors without repercussions. That levels the playing field for Big Ten programs that have been hesitant to push the NIL envelope in ways that have become commonplace elsewhere. Although, this reminds us of the biggest QB deal made by B1G giants, Michigan Wolverines, when the Big Ten insider said this.

“It happens all the time, you hear about this quarterback went to the school for a million dollars. Well what were they supposed to do for those million dollars?  Nobody cares because they’re probably not actually doing anything for that million dollars they’re just being paid to come and play which is supposed to be against the rules.” Bryce Underwood is the prime example. The impact goes beyond just NIL — it extends to the murky world of tampering. Every offseason, college football’s version of free agency is in full swing, with star players suddenly finding “better opportunities” at programs with deeper pockets.

But the way these deals are brokered often exists in a gray area. “Did you make contact with this player? And I know a lot of people say, well, nobody actually tampers. They just talk to people behind the scenes,” the host pointed out. “This enforcement arm could go in and actually take a look at the tampering rule and say, ‘Is this actually relevant for what is happening today? Is it legal for the school to go to the mom of the player and say, hey, have your son come here, we’ll pay him half a million dollars?’” If the NCAA follows through, tampering won’t just be an open secret—it will be a punishable offense. That’s a game-changer for conferences like the Big Ten.

Of course, the transfer portal remains another key issue, and NCAA President Charlie Baker acknowledged that reform is still needed. “I think the transfer windows are challenging in part because we need to build them around an academic calendar,” Baker said. By aligning the portal windows with the academic year and enforcing stricter tampering penalties, the NCAA could restore some semblance of order to a process that has increasingly resembled a Wild West free-for-all.

If the NCAA is serious about enforcing these new penalties, the Big Ten’s commitment to compliance will no longer be a disadvantage.

NCAA looks to crack down on fake injuries with new rule proposal

CFB might get another serious shake-up soon, and if this rule change goes through, faking an injury to slow the game down could come with real consequences. According to The Athletic, the NCAA rules committee is mulling over a proposal that would force injured players to sit out an entire drive—except for quarterbacks.

This discussion has been brewing for a while, especially after coaches voiced their frustration last month about the growing trend of players going down mysteriously at convenient times. Now, the NCAA appears ready to take action. “There’s a push by the stakeholders in the game saying, on feigning injuries, something must be done,” said Steve Shaw, the national coordinator of officials and committee rules editor. “We can’t kick the can down the road once again.”

If the committee finalizes the proposal, it will move to the Playing Rules Oversight Panel in April for a decision. For now, it’s just talk—but if approved, this rule could dramatically change game strategy.