This, though, is largely nostalgia run amuck. Not to blow my own horn (but "toot! toot!"), but this site is littered with posts I've spent hours researching that should prove to any open-minded person that college football parity always has been and always will be a myth. The information is elsewhere and can be found with a simple search, but let's go over it in a general sense:
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS (1968-86) - Michigan or Ohio St won every single year (and shared several) except 1983 and 1985 (17 out of 19)
SEC CHAMPIONS (1964-82) - Alabama or Georgia (or both) won every single year except 1967, 1969, and 1970 (16 out of 19)
BIG 8 CHAMPIONS (1959-95) - Nebraska or Oklahoma (or both) won every single title of the 8-team era except 1960, 1989, and 1990 (34 out of 37 years)
SWC CHAMPIONS - Texas won 8 of 10 titles (1968-77), but thanks to everyone being crooked, there was a little more parity
The ACC had the most parity - it was also the least-watched conference on national TV, too.
What changed this for the better?
1) In 1972, freshmen were permitted to play.
2) In 1973, the NCAA passed scholarship limitations that took effect in 1976. Of course, it took a few years to run through that cycle where a team that MISSED on a particular recruit didn't have ample supply of reserve to replace him. But once that happened, the playing field was slightly more level in favor of allowing teams like Illinois or Iowa or Wisconsin to actually compete in the Big Ten (for example)
Let me tell you the part I find funny about this - it's the third stage of the same argument.
The FIRST argument was always this: 'Superstar X' is going to Oklahoma because Oklahoma appears on national TV and permits him his dream of playing in the NFL has a greater chance of becoming a reality. Superstar X might have lived in Lampasas, TX, but Texas had a full shelf at his position. Or he might have lived in Lubbock but Tech didn't play on TV very often.
The SECOND argument was always this: "the big schools can pay players to come there, so the little schools have to offer bribes to induce players to come play for us." This is on page one of the Auburn recruiting manual, I say half-facetiously. THAT justification came up so many times out of Auburn mouths for years - "since Bear Bryant is paying players to come to Alabama, WE HAVE TO break the NCAA rules to be able to compete with them!" Never mind that they never produced the first shred of evidence that such ever happened AT ALABAMA. (Bryant freely admitted he broke the rules at aTm, but as was said about our former governor's segregationist stance, "He wasn't singing no solo.").
What ALL THREE of these arguments are saying but not willing to verbalize is this:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WOULD RATHER PLAY FOR BIG-NAME SCHOOLS WHO WIN BALLGAMES AND PLAY ON NATIONAL TV AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE AT BEING RICH!!
That's why NCAA probation was a really big deal at one time.
Let's go further back than just this year:
2010 - Cam Newton - won it at Auburn, started at Florida (we'll leave it at that for now)
2017 - Baker Mayfield - started at Tech, won it at OU
2018 - Kyler Murray - wasn't very good in the SEC, won it at OU
2019 - Joe Burrow - left Ohio St, won it at LSU
2022 - Caleb Williams - left OU, won it at USC
2023 - Jayden Daniels - left Arizona St, won it at LSU
One problem with your theory is that I'd consider Ohio St a more historic Blue Blood program than LSU, and Williams left OU for another one. Granted, you mention Nix, but that's a unique situation that has as much to do with the Nuthouse that has long run the Auburn program and their truckling sycophants, many of whom have jumped the fence and supported Nix over Harsin et al. Penix was a different situation. He did well and kept tearing his ACL. Remember when Indiana was actually in serious consideration for the playoff if they could beat Ohio State? Penix was on that team as the starting QB then got hurt and KO'ed the following week against Maryland.
In the end, none of what we think matters.
They're going for money.
Yes, a super division in football makes sense, but the small schools will never let it happen. If they would, it would have happened years ago. The Hangers On - the 104 schools in FBS who have never won a national championship in football - have to stick like Super Glue to the achievers via conference to keep the money coming.
The Big Ten adding Penn State via delay in 1989 and then Notre Dame withdrawing from the CFA to negotiate their own TV contract began this whole thing. We can argue they contributed to the problem, but they were looking out for their own best interests.
Just like everyone else.
