SI College Football | Big Ten Power Play

The conference’s championship success has fueled a growing confidence as leaders push to dictate the future of college football and other NCAA matters.

Bryan Fischer After spending this week at the Big Ten spring meetings, I heard from league leaders how recent championship success has given the conference swagger, which is leading its power players to speak louder about what they want. Now the conference is using its newfound influence to secure a larger field for the College Football Playoff. More below … Tony Petitti Turns Up Pressure on SEC in 24-Team CFP Debate Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports By Bryan Fischer Tone Deaf Tony is no more.  Behold, Talkative Tony has arrived.  Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti relishes all parts of his job but one: meeting with the media and articulating the case for his conference loudly and publicly. Though many of his commissioner peers are at ease in front of a microphone, the role of public spokesman is anathema to him.  Until now. Sitting calmly at an expensive Southern California resort Tuesday, Petitti spent nearly an hour stumping for a 24-team College Football Playoff field, a concept which has drawn praise and anger. It was clear he wanted to get a key point across in the debate that has been constant—to the point of being oppressive.  READ FULL STORY ON SI.COM More College Football Stories Lincoln Riley Believes 'It's Time' for USC to Return to College Football's Upper-Echelon Riley has continued to hype up USC's 2026 campaign. READ MORE Projecting Every Big 12 Starting Quarterback Ahead of the 2026 College Football Season All eyes are on the Brendan Sorsby situation at Texas Tech, but the conference also features top-tier returners and one of the most impressive transfers in the country. READ MORE   Recommended by  Brendan Sorsby’s Case Challenges NCAA Gambling Rules Texas Tech Once Backed After voting to preserve provisions against college athletes betting on pro sports, Texas Tech is now backing its quarterback suing to avoid the rules’ consequences. READ MORE Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. Click to subscribe! 🎙️ Listen to Others Receiving Votes Subscribe to SI’s college sports show, Others Receiving Votes, for new episodes each week on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Or watch weekly on SI TV. Subscribe to Verducci’s View Newsletter MLB insights and analysis delivered by Tom Verducci, offering a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball’s biggest storylines. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE   Recommended by  We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI College Football newsletter. You can unsubscribe here. Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2025 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI College Football newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.