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Trump pushback, Biden 'disaster' and gender surprise: 5 key moments from Kansas Senate debate
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton sparred over President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence and personal controversies during a contentious Kansas Senate debate Wednesday night.
The hourlong showdown came less than two weeks before Election Day as Marshall seeks a second term and Hamilton, a longtime pastor, tries to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932.
The race has drawn increased national attention as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier this week to campaign for Marshall.
Here are five moments that stood out from Wednesday night's debate.
SLEEPER SENATE RACE EMERGES AS UNEXPECTED HEADACHE FOR REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS
The debate wasted little time getting contentious, opening with questions about controversies that have fueled attacks against both candidates.
Marshall was confronted with a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills.
"Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million of charity, but we also had a business," Marshall responded. "We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electric."
Hamilton, meanwhile, was questioned about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church's summer camp who was accused of sexual abuse.
Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp following an initial investigation.
FROM 'THIRD REICH' TO âNOT THAT INFORMEDâ: SENATE DEBATES DELIVER FIREWORKS BEFORE MIDTERMS
"I should have checked to make sure that he wasn't going back," Hamilton said. "That was a mistake on my part."
Trump became part of the debate after moderators played footage from the president's campaign appearance for Marshall in Kansas earlier in the week.
"And at this election, I'm asking you to pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot. Just pretend," Trump told the crowd.
Marshall was then asked whether Trump's support meant Kansans should expect him to back every part of the president's agenda.
"No," Marshall responded, saying there had been "multiple times" when he objected to Trump.
Pressed to identify a specific disagreement, Marshall pointed to recent immigration enforcement in southwest Kansas and Trump's approach to beef imports.
"Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right," Marshall joked. "And President Trump is not always right."
Marshall nevertheless urged Trump voters to turn out for him, arguing that electing Hamilton could help Democrats capture the Senate.
The two rivals found themselves in agreement when the moderator asked each candidate how many genders there are.
"There's two. There's a boy and there's a girl," Marshall said. "I delivered 5,000 of them and almost half were boys and half were girls."
"There are two genders, male and female," Hamilton responded.
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The candidates then turned to the debate over transgender participation in women's sports.
Hamilton said decisions over athletic eligibility should generally be made locally but was unequivocal about whether biological males should compete against females.
"I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don't want biological men or boys competing against her that could harm her," Hamilton said. "It's not a fair, fair fight."
Marshall argued that by high school, "boys need to be in boys sports, girls in girls sports," while accusing national Democrats of pushing "transgender ideology."
Hamilton later accused Marshall of using the issue to "pick on" and "bully" people.
Hamilton called for greater federal oversight of artificial intelligence and compared the emerging technology to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
"We developed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We need to do the same thing with AI," Hamilton said.
But when the moderator pressed him to identify specific federal regulations he would support, Hamilton acknowledged he did not yet have an answer.
"You know what? I'm not sure, to be honest," Hamilton said, arguing that even experts are struggling to understand the technology's potential dangers.
Marshall advocated a "light touch" approach focused on national security, transparency, protecting children and privacy, while slamming a one-size-fits-all global order for artificial intelligence advancement.
Hamilton pushed back sharply.
"This is an existential â potential existential threat to the human race," Hamilton said. "We can't just go with a light touch and hope everybody does their best."
BIDEN CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS OBAMA, HARRIS STEP UP FOR MIDTERM PUSH
Hamilton sought to put distance between himself and former President Joe Biden when moderators challenged the Democrat over his claim that he would "lead from the middle."
The moderator pointed to Hamilton's past donations to Democrats, including Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., before asking him to identify a progressive policy he opposed.
"The Biden policies when it came to the border were a disaster," Hamilton responded. "I believe in strong and secure borders."
"I'm not somebody who favors the Socialist Party," Hamilton added. "I'm somebody who stands in the middle."
Hamilton also reiterated during the debate that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for majority leader if Democrats capture control of the chamber.
NYC votes to end nearly 170-year-old horse carriage tradition as Trump blasts ban, drivers threaten lawsuit
The New York City Council voted Thursday to ban horse-drawn carriages by June 2028, moving to end a nearly 170-year-old tradition following the death of a teenager in Central Park and prompting threats of legal action from carriage drivers.
The council voted 40-7, with two abstentions, to approve Romanch's Law, named after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after being thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park.
The legislation would phase out the industry by June 1, 2028, while requiring Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration to develop a transition program for more than 150 active carriage drivers and other workers. The plan would include job training, career counseling and employment referrals, although financial compensation is not guaranteed.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the decision Thursday, criticizing the move to eliminate one of New York City's longtime tourist attractions.
"The Horse-drawn Carriage in New York City is a quintessential New York experience. So sad that, for political reasons, we will see it go!" he wrote on Truth Social.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents carriage industry workers, threatened to challenge the ban in federal court and seek a temporary restraining order. Union representatives accused City Council Speaker Julie Menin of failing to adequately consult drivers whose livelihoods are at stake.
MAN KILLED AFTER HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE BOLTS AND FLIPS NEAR POPULAR NEW YORK CITY TOURIST DESTINATION
Opponents argued the city had failed to establish a concrete financial plan for drivers and carriage owners. An effort to delay the phaseout until January 2030 failed before the final vote.
Menin defended the legislation Thursday, saying the council had strengthened worker protections and was prepared for a legal fight.
"We're very confident in the legislation. That's why we took the time to work over the summer on the legislation. We made changes to legislation to beef up worker protection. We are very confident in defending this law and will vigorously defend it. I've already talked to Steve Banks about it and our team, and we will vigorously defend this law," she said at a news conference.
Animal rights group PETA also celebrated the vote, pledging $50,000 to help carriage horses retire as the industry winds down.
Meanwhile, the Central Park Conservancy celebrated the decision, arguing that horse-drawn carriages pose growing safety risks in a park that receives roughly 40 million visits annually.
"In the modern era, carriages pose a serious — and even fatal — safety risk to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves. Our hearts break for the family of Romanch Mahajan, who stepped into a carriage earlier this summer and never thought he might lose his life," the organization wrote in a press release.
The Conservancy said Mahajan's death was the ninth carriage-related incident in just over a year.
The legislation also includes protections intended to prevent retired carriage horses from being sold for slaughter, while allowing owners to keep their animals.
The bill now heads to Mamdani, who has expressed support for ending the industry. If signed, it would bring an end to a decades-long political battle over one of New York City's most recognizable tourist attractions.
NFL fines three head coaches $250,000 for their conduct toward officials: report
Getting angry with officials can cost coaches on the field — and off it, too.
The NFL fined New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn and Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni $250,000 each for their conduct toward officials, according to Sports Illustrated. The fines are being held in abeyance, meaning they could be waived if the coaches demonstrate good behavior, according to the report.
It is unclear whether the fines stemmed from specific incidents or a pattern of conduct by the coaches.
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In Week 4, Vrabel was flagged after expressing his displeasure with an official's call.
"I told him it was a terrible — I’m not going to say effing — call," Vrabel said after the game. "I’ve said that 87 times since I’ve been a head coach. It was nothing derogatory. You’d have to ask him. I think he was a little sensitive."
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Officials have also made headlines this season, as the NFL disciplined two officials for their conduct in Week 5. Line judge Jeff Seeman was fined for apparently cursing at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride.
Referee Adrian Hill was suspended for one game for unprofessional conduct toward Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson.
Wilson was pushed into Hill by a Miami Dolphins player after the play was blown dead, knocking the referee to the ground. Wilson offered to help Hill up, but the referee jumped to his feet, pointed at Wilson and yelled at him to get away.
"That was funny, honestly," Wilson told reporters in the Vikings' locker room, according to ESPN. "I ended up apologizing to him and explained the situation. He was cool about it. He understood what was going on. He just said he didn't want us fighting, me and (Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II). He said he was just trying to break us up."
The NFL hopes to prevent further incidents involving coaches and officials from becoming distractions for the remainder of the season.
Erika Kirk rips 'absurd' 2029 trial timeline for Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin
Erika Kirk is urging a judge to reject a defense proposal that would push her late husband’s murder trial into 2029, asking the court to set proceedings for 2027.
In new court documents obtained by Fox News, Kirk’s legal team blasted the defense’s proposed timeline as "grossly out of line" with comparable cases, asking the court to schedule the trial for the earliest practicable date in 2027.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
DOJ opens investigation into Trump ally Corey Lewandowski
The Justice Department (DOJ) has launched an investigation into longtime Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News.
The probe stems from a criminal referral sent to the Justice Department by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, marking a legal escalation for the high-profile political figure.
TRUMP'S NEW PRESS SECRETARY OUT OF A JOB JUST DAYS AFTER ROCKY DEBUT
Asked about the inquiry by reporters outside the White House, President Donald Trump said he wants his staff held accountable and that he had "heard something about it."
"All I know is I want my people to be honest," Trump said.
"If they're not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted," Trump warned, adding that dishonesty amounts to "stealing from me as president."
"They are stealing from me. So I want my people to be honest. And if they're not honest, I'll have my DOJ go and do whatever they have to do," he added.
Lewandowski is a longtime political ally of Trump who previously served as an adviser to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
A representative for Lewandowski told The Wall Street Journal that he has not been contacted by the Justice Department and denied any wrongdoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Michigan paper declares it won't seek comment from Mike Rogers due to 'lies and bigoted attacks' on El-Sayed
A Michigan newspaper declared Wednesday it will no longer seek comment from the campaign of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over what it described as his "lies and bigoted attacks" against his Democratic rival, Abdul El-Sayed.
"For the first time in @metrotimes history, we’re no longer seeking comment from a candidate’s campaign because of repeated lies and bigoted attacks," Detroit Metro Times investigative reporter Steve Neavling announced on X.
"That candidate is Mike Rogers, whose campaign keeps targeting Abdul El-Sayed’s Muslim faith."
MIKE ROGERS PRESSES CNN'S DANA BASH ON WHY THE PRESS IS 'EAGER' TO DEFEND ABDUL EL-SAYED
Neavling accused Rogers of lying when the Republican asserted that El-Sayed hasn't disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood, pointing to the Democrat telling a town hall audience member, "Sure, yeah, absolutely" earlier in the week when asked to denounce the organization, and for suggesting El-Sayed believes "America deserved 9/11," a statement made by El-Sayed's prominent supporter, left-wing streamer Hasan Piker.
Neavling also accused Rogers of having "inflated" his counterterrorism résumé, specifically about his role in the operation targeting Osama bin Laden.
"When Metro Times asked about those claims for its Oct. 8 report, Rogers’ campaign declined to answer specific questions. It instead defended his record and repeated an unfounded allegation that El-Sayed received money from terrorist organizations," Neavling wrote in a report.
EL-SAYED, ROGERS CLASH OVER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, TRUMP AND GUNS: 5 FIERY DEBATE MOMENTS
Neavling's article "counted the ways" Rogers allegedly lied about El-Sayed on a range of topics.
"Rogers has attacked El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, over public safety, women’s health, and Michigan’s auto industry. His own record includes opposing additional police funding, backing proposed cuts to women’s health services, and voting against measures intended to steer work to U.S. manufacturers," Neavling wrote.
During the Democratic Senate primary in July, El-Sayed was questioned about referring to himself as a "physician" because, although he has a medical degree, he is not licensed to practice medicine.
"His campaign has claimed El-Sayed wants to ban gas-powered vehicles," Neavling continued. "Bridge Michigan found that El-Sayed had supported the Green New Deal’s clean energy goals but had not directly advocated such a ban. During the July primary debate, El-Sayed opposed an electric vehicle mandate and said Michigan should continue producing internal combustion engines while developing EV infrastructure.
"Rogers once promoted the move away from gasoline as an opportunity for Michigan workers," Neavling added. "In an August 2008 message to constituents, he praised the Chevrolet Volt and described a future in which ‘clean, green cars run for hundreds of miles without using gasoline.’"
Neither the Rogers campaign nor the Detroit Metro Times responded to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
El-Sayed's denial that neither he nor his family had any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood came under scrutiny last week after social media posts surfaced in which his half-sister alleged that members of their family, including their mother, had been involved with the controversial Islamist group.
Charles Barkley jokingly warns 'Inside the NBA' crew about Shaquille O'Neal's FBI connection
The NBA season may be only two days old, but Charles Barkley already appears to be in midseason form. During the first hour of Wednesday night’s "NBA Tip-Off" pregame show, Barkley appeared to surprise host Ernie Johnson with an unexpected revelation about Shaquille O’Neal.
Barkley suggested that O’Neal knows FBI Director Kash Patel, delivering the comment so casually that the entire "Inside the NBA" crew broke into laughter.
"Hey, Kenny. Should we be standing this close to Shaq?" Barkley asked.
CHARLES BARKLEY WEIGHS IN ON THE FRICTION IN THE 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' BROADCAST BOOTH
Fellow NBA analyst Kenny Smith responded: "Why is that?"
"He’s been hanging out with Kash Patel," Barkley explained. "That’s dangerous."
"Oh!! Oh! Oh, I didn’t know you were gonna be going there," Johnson said. "But I should have known you would."
"Alright, Chuck," O’Neal replied as he continued to laugh. "Alright, Chuck."
For more than three decades, Ernie Johnson has hosted "Inside the NBA," which originates from a television studio in Atlanta. Two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith joined the show in 1998, Barkley came aboard in 2000 and O’Neal became a permanent fixture in 2011.
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"I got your back, big fella," Barkley said. "We can hang out with who the hell we want to."
Barkley was hinting to Patel’s decision in September to name O’Neal an honorary FBI special agent.
"This session is historic – FBI was honored to be joined by one of the best supporters of law enforcement in the country -Shaq- who graduated with this session and became an honorary FBI Special Agent," Patel wrote on Sept. 17, in a post to X.
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL TROLLS CHARLES BARKLEY DURING HIS LSU MASTER'S DEGREE GRADUATION CEREMONY
During his graduation ceremony, O’Neal joked that Barkley could be his first arrest. "Some of you will go back to your regular jobs, some of you will go to specialized training," O’Neal said in a speech to the graduating class.
"Some of you will go do what I do, be undercover. Well, I was undercover… But I just wanna say I appreciate you guys so much. Congratulations. I am not here for this; I am here for you… And if you see Charles Barkley, arrest him."
Parker McCollum recalls how a snapping ZYN can nearly spooked his biggest whitetail buck ever
Parker McCollum has spent years chasing big whitetail bucks with his bow. And when the opportunity of a lifetime finally presented itself earlier this month, he almost blew it … because of a can of ZYN.
The country star joined OutKick OutDoors this week and enthusiastically recounted the story of a massive buck he harvested in northern Oklahoma on just the second day of archery season.
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"I've been bowhunting for so long, and to finally have that kind of encounter with that caliber of a deer was just my 'finally' moment," McCollum said. "So rare for that to go down the way it did."
The funny part is that he wasn't even particularly excited about this buck when he'd seen it on his trail cameras. There were a couple of other deer in the area that had really caught his attention.
But trail-camera photos apparently didn't do this particular buck justice.
McCollum was sitting in his stand on Oct. 2 when the deer suddenly appeared directly beneath him. Unfortunately, the singer happened to be reaching for a ZYN at that exact moment.
"This mature, heavy-horned deer walks right underneath my stand, and I was putting a ZYN in," he recalled. "I was closing the can right as I saw him."
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The buck heard the plastic can snap shut and stopped.
"I'm like, oh no," McCollum recalled. "Thinking, you know, he's about to bust ass out of here."
Fortunately, the buck didn't bolt. But the ZYN incident wasn't the only thing that threatened to derail McCollum's hunt. What followed were several nerve-racking minutes of trying to get into position for a shot without spooking the deer.
At one point, he even managed to hit his elbow against the tree while drawing his bow.
"I'm feeling it. My heart's racing. The whole deal is going," McCollum said. "And in my mind, I'm like, 'This is the encounter you have been waiting for.'"
COUNTRY STAR ELLA LANGLEY ONLY WANTS ONE THING — AND IT'S A BIG, 'BEEFY' WHITETAIL BUCK
Fortunately for McCollum, the story has a happy ending. He made a clean shot and recovered a buck that turned out to be even more impressive than he'd imagined.
"I've never shot a deer that I underestimated that much and was surprised by that much," he said. "It was phenomenal."
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And while McCollum is heading overseas with Cody Johnson this weekend for his first UK and Ireland tour, he's already counting down the days until he can get back in the stand.
Here's hoping he can keep that ZYN can quiet next time.
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Netflix faces turmoil as Greta Gerwig's $280 million 'Narnia' movie looks headed for disaster
Hollywood just can't help itself.
The entertainment industry has been in turmoil recently, thanks to a string of inconsistencies. While there have been notable outliers, films that were both critically and commercially successful, there's a much longer list of movies that have failed.
Disney's "The Marvels" was a financial disaster, as was "Madame Web," "The Flash," "Lightyear," the atrocious live-action "Snow White" movie, and of course, 2026's "Supergirl."
Massive financial losses. A dramatic decrease in audience trust and consumer interest in many entertainment industry projects. There are varying reasons for each, but most have one thing in common: Hollywood doesn't understand audiences or the material they're making, and they're committed to putting their political beliefs and ideology above competence.
Based on the early returns from one of Netflix's biggest and most expensive projects, the once-dominant streaming service is soon to release one of its own. And as with many other Hollywood mistakes, it was easily avoidable.
Several years ago, in 2023, news broke that Netflix hired director Greta Gerwig to make at least two films based on the legendary C.S. Lewis book series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." This announcement came after Gerwig's latest film, "Barbie," became a box office phenomenon during and after the "Barbenheimer" weekend.
Filming on "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" started in 2025 and wrapped up in time for the first trailer to hit the internet this October ahead of a 2027 theatrical release. To say that the first trailer has been poorly received would be a dramatic understatement.
Several sites have reported that browser extensions showing YouTube "dislikes" found that it's racked up over 65,000 such ratings, though there have been positive reactions too. A quick watch of the preview, and some background on Gerwig and her take on "Narnia" explains why.
First, the trailer itself looks, well, awful. Special effects and visuals look like something out of a Marvel movie, overblown, obviously fake, and far too modern for the world that most fans of the book series imagine. To drive home the point that this would be for "modern audiences," the studio and creative team chose Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" to play over the visuals. Nothing says: "A story written in the 1950s set at the turn of the century and during the early years of World War II in the late 1930's-early 1940s," like Led Zeppelin.
Second, Gerwig's preferred version of the story seems to purposefully remove the underlying meaning of it, of Lewis' work and the religious influence behind it. In an interview published in 2018, for example, Gerwig said that while she goes to church, she's "uncomfortable" with "Jesus is my lord and savior" talk, adding that she finds it "creepy."
Lewis, of course, famously converted to Christianity and the Narnia stories contain obvious Christian imagery and symbolism. Including the character of "Aslan," a representation of Jesus Christ. Aslan in this film will be voiced by Meryl Streep, a confusing choice, to say the least. Then the trailer depicted The Eagle and Child, the pub where Lewis and author J.R.R. Tolkien met to discuss writing and their stories, being destroyed by the villain in the film. Some interpreted that as a purposeful nod to the audience that this wouldn't be a faithful retelling of the story.
And why would it be, when Gerwig's filmography is littered with one specific ideology: feminism.
The message of Gerwig's "Barbie" had as much subtlety as throwing a brick through a window. The real world is an oppressive patriarchy, while the Kens taking over in the Barbie world is an abject disaster that must be fixed by the Barbies returning to rule their fictional world.
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Her adaptation of "Little Women" was similarly obvious in its goals, eschewing Jo's marriage from the novel because Gerwig thought it better represented Louisa May Alcott's vision.
There's nothing wrong with Gerwig making films that align with her worldview. The issue is that the Narnia story doesn't, and as we've seen over time, forcing ideology into movies where it doesn't belong simply does not work. While she's maintained that she's a devoted, life-long fan of the stories and Lewis himself, the trailer looked like it came from someone who's never thought about them, let alone understood them. Even worse for Netflix? They gave her a reported $250 million budget, at least, to make it.
At the time, Gerwig was the hottest filmmaker in the business, thanks to the runaway financial success of "Barbie." But throwing that much money at a director who wants to put a modern ideological spin on every movie she makes? It's insane.
And it's clear that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has seen the writing on the wall.
While there are likely other factors at work beyond just "Narnia" being a potential financial failure, Netflix this week went on a stunning spree of removing top film executives. After a decade there, Sarandos fired Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria. Then Dan Lin, their now-former head of film, and his top lieutenant, Doug Belgrad.
Netflix is famously ruthless, but these are not decisions made on the spur of the moment, and it hints at broader problems within their film division. Years of poor quality content and politically motivated projects have taken their toll on subscriber growth. Problems that would only be exacerbated if "Narnia" flops.
It's been rumored that the film was subjected to extensive reshoots after dismal test scores at screenings over the summer. Rumors that seem likely to be true, given Netflix pushed the release date back from late 2026 to February 2027. Hardly a time for a blockbuster, $250 million+ movie. Now the first trailer's been greeted with a surge of negative reactions and disappointment. As it always would, given Gerwig's specific penchant for storytelling and inability to remove her own biases. Fittingly, Gerwig discussed the movie with of all people, Stephen Colbert, at a recent exclusive IMAX preview.
"Narnia" might turn out to be better than expected. Maybe the Streep casting as Aslan won't be the distraction many feared. Maybe Gerwig didn't pour her predictable beliefs into a story that can't accommodate them. Or the off-putting fever dream visuals might be less prevalent than the trailer makes them look.
But given the test screenings, her track record and the visuals, it's hard to give her the benefit of the doubt. If audiences don't either, it'll be the latest in a long series of predictable financial failures from Hollywood. And as always, it's their own fault.
Are the Miami Hurricanes about to start the surge of college football teams going independent?
As is so often the case with modern college football, it seems like the decision to move to a 24-team College Football Playoff was made without thinking through potential long-term side effects.
While the endless search for more money throughout the sport is justifiable, given the increasing costs of fielding a competitive coaching staff and roster, the conferences that pushed the 24-team format through may not have fully considered the obvious implications. One of which is the necessary end of conference championship games.
In decades past, winning the Big Ten, ACC or SEC meant something. Both for the teams and their fanbases, and for poll voters who helped determine bowl selections. But in this new era, with a massive tournament field, if conference championships are meaningless, it raises a number of other questions. Namely, why should conferences even exist?
Theoretically, conferences are designed to create regional groupings, making travel and scheduling easier. In reality, as the modern ACC and Big Ten have demonstrated, they now exist mostly to make negotiating group media rights easier. There's no reason for UCLA and Rutgers to be in the same conference, other than a collective desire to increase their media value. Or Stanford and the Miami Hurricanes.
But with the 24-team playoff in place, a whole new world of possibilities could now be available. Chief among them, independence and the advantages that it offers. Why share television revenue with other schools? Why essentially give away your flexibility with scheduling? Notre Dame has more flexibility than anyone, and their schedule in 2026 gives them a tremendous leg up in the race for a 12-team playoff over, say, SEC teams playing much tougher opponents week in and week out.
In a new interview with Yahoo Sports! and Ross Dellenger, University of Miami president Joe Echevarria was very forthcoming about his interest in leaving the ACC and the potential opportunity to go independent.
"We are proud members of the ACC," he told Dellenger. "If the economics were even, we wouldn't be having any of these conversations. Thing is, we sit in the second tier. It's a reason we don't get a vote on the 24-team playoff and the Big Ten and SEC do."
One provision in the endlessly shifting Protect College Sports Act would prevent teams from switching conferences without going independent for several years. Echevarria strongly prefers that provision removed, to put it mildly, "You cannot lock us into a conference," he explained.
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The Big Ten and SEC already shell out around $25 million more per team than the ACC does, which could increase significantly in just a few years when those conferences are able to negotiate new deals. If the ACC continues to fall behind, it could put Miami at a major competitive disadvantage relative to peer institutions. So would the Hurricanes go independent? Echevarria didn't shy away from the possibility, through brought up that it presents challenges for other, non-football sports.
"If we have to go independent, I like our chances because we are a national brand," he said. "I wouldn't like to do that because scheduling [other sports] is really tough. It's great for football but what about track, volleyball and the golf team?"
Still, as we've seen, conferences have been willing to figure out scheduling challenges in other sports. USC plays Penn State in other, non-football sports, even though it makes little sense and comes with immense travel difficulties. Miami now has a conference rivalry with the Cal Bears. If streaming services, television networks, or other sports broadcasters are willing to shell out more money for television rights for independent programs, and conference championships are now meaningless, what's to stop big brands from Miami from following Notre Dame's example?
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And if they start the trend, how many others will follow?
Would programs like Alabama, Georgia and Texas bolt as opposed to sentencing themselves to the rigors of an SEC schedule for little reward? Or Ohio State and Michigan? Or USC?
As always, once conference realignment started, it seemed inevitable that the future would some sort of breakaway college football league. 64 teams, or whatever the number is, of the top programs competing against each other, ensuring that most games would pair a relatively big name against another. Which would mean a smaller playoff again, a far more popular configuration with fans anyway, and the potential for even more media revenue thanks to higher-profile matchups. With Group of Six teams left behind.
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Once again, the desire to push relentlessly ahead toward more revenue might backfire for the major conferences, as teams like Miami question the need to remain in the ACC. Though it would be ironic if the 24-team playoff winds up being the straw that broke the camel's back when it comes to maintaining the conference structure.
That's modern college football for you.