In a Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate article dated 8/13/26 staff writer Jon Blau and LSU's head coach Lane Kiffin let it be known that college players are now Pros because they are paid to play. That statement was a little late since NIL started it all a few years ago. The real story of college players going Pro has never yet been told because money has a way of confusing the issues.
College sports, especially football, has begun to follow the failure of Pro football namely, expanding divisions, conferences, playoffs and other venues that make the sport less competitive. College has already expanded the playoff system and is talking about another expansion already. Money will control college sports more than ever now and disaster will follow.
College teams play the same amount of games and have the opportunity to win a division or a conference and the winner should go to the playoff. Those runner ups had the same chance to win but did not, so they do not deserve to be in any playoffs with a second chance. The playoffs should be restricted to the teams who have won something.
Anything less is a prescription for disaster. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
