Urban Meyer has won three national titles as a college football head coach, but the game already looks a lot different from his time at Florida and Ohio State.
It was difficult to predict how NIL and the transfer portal changed the sports landscape, and Fox Sports’ college football analyst is among those who misunderstood how they changed it.
“I missed the whole conversation about NIL and the transfer portal,” Meyer said during an appearance on The herd with Colin Cowherd. “I thought the rich would get richer. It helped establish parity in college football.”
“I missed the whole conversation about NIL and the transfer portal. I thought the rich would get richer. What it did was create parity in college football.” – Urban Meyer https://t.co/URKSjxckXE
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 19, 2026
The parity is perhaps a little strong. Yes, Indiana went from basement dweller to national champion in two years. But for the most part, the same traditional cutting-edge programs are still at the top of the list. Things are a little more crowded and “second tier programs” like Texas Tech, SMU and UCLA have a chance to grow quickly. But at the end of the day, we’re still mostly talking about the same Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC schools that dominate the landscape.
Another aspect of the game that is rapidly evolving since Meyer’s days is the expansion of the College Football Playoff. When he led Ohio State to a national title in 2015, the CFP included four teams. Obviously, it will have 24 teams starting next season.
Meyer doesn’t seem too opposed to the decision, although he worries about what the program could lose.
“At first I couldn’t stand the idea,” Meyer said on The triple option. “I just thought you would dilute the product, but what I’m witnessing this year and we’re all learning is that parity is incredible.
“The only concern I have, and I’ll continue to say this as long as I’m here, those who say the conference championship games aren’t important, I will say I’ve never played in them, I’ve never coached in them and I’ve never won a ring. I think the conference championship games are one of the most exciting things that’s ever happened in my life and certainly for my players.”
To make room for the expanded first round, the conference championship games will likely disappear, changing the calculus beyond just being able to say you won. And as much as college football has changed since Meyer last practiced there, the ripple effects of the latest seismic shift are just beginning to be felt.
Gn sports
