"Parity -- at least a measure of it -- has come to college football. It's a byproduct of the transfer portal, NIL and direct revenue-sharing. Anybody can be good these days ... or at least good enough for one game. Any Given Saturday. Ancient Heismans in a trophy case and conference championship banners on the wall won't hurt a program's recruiting, but they sure don't matter as much as they used to. This is about transactions, not tradition. The talent has spread."
"The mood also isn't great at Florida State, Auburn, LSU or Wisconsin. There are even grumbles at 3-3 Clemson (among many others). College football has never been this competitive, this wild -- or this interesting. The fun isn't being hoarded by a few super powers. The good teams aren't as good and the bad teams aren't as bad. The chase for the playoff now runs dozens of teams deep. Seasons can swing on a dime."
Parity has come to college football, driven by the transfer portal, NIL deals, and direct revenue-sharing that spread talent across programs. Average margins of victory show narrowing differences: the NFL's average margin this season is 10.8 points, while the Southeastern Conference average is 10.03. Traditional powers no longer dominate consistently; AP top-10 includes unexpected teams like Indiana, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt. Multiple high-profile programs have already fired coaches, and dissatisfaction exists at Florida State, Auburn, LSU and Wisconsin. Seasons are volatile, playoff races include dozens of teams, and single-game outcomes can dramatically alter a program's trajectory.
Read at ESPN.com
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