A lot of Power 4 programs seem to be in a lot of trouble.
According to a report from John Talty and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports, multiple College Football Playoff contenders are under investigation by the CSC. They are being investigated for NIL violations in relation to third-party agreements in an attempt to get around the NIL salary cap that is set.
The report claims that between five and 10 Power 4 programs are under long-term investigation. It does not name which programs are under investigation. Despite the fact that the Ohio State football program is spending a ton of money on its roster, it's unlikely the Buckeyes are one of the subjects.
Why Ohio State is unlikely one of the programs being investigated by the CSC
Ohio State has one of the most expensive rosters in the country. However, Ryan Day has made sure to do everything by the book for quite a while. There's a reason why they lost out on some high-profile five-star recruits in the last two recruiting classes.
Day knew that the Ohio State Buckeyes simply didn't have the money to give it to those players. The most recent example is David Gabriel Georges, whose asking price was absurd. Day would rather spend money on guys with proven track records, and he has always made sure to follow the rules.
In fact, some Buckeye fans would prefer if Day didn't follow the rules. It's unclear whether or not these rules can be enforced at the moment. Until the Protect College Sports Act is passed, the NCAA is still in the Wild West. That includes college football, so maybe it would be advantageous for Ohio State to skirt the rules.
It would be irresponsible to speculate which programs could possibly be under investigation, even if I do have a few thoughts on that. There is still almost no chance that any penalties do arise for the programs that are actually being investigated. The rules have no meaning in college football.
Ohio State is always going to be one of the top spenders in college football
No matter what the rules are now or in the future, the Buckeyes are always going to be one of the top spenders in the country. They have the resources to draw in the NIL money, so why not use it? They need to in order to stay at the top of the sport, which is what the fans demand.
Jeremiah Smith commands the most NIL money on the team. He is worth every penny that the team is paying him, as he is the best player in the country. He could become the first receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Devonta Smith did back in the 2020 season.
As these NIL rules continue to progress, the Buckeyes will adjust to whatever eventually becomes adopted. They will likely always follow the rules, because that's what Day and Ross Bjork do. If other teams want to try to bend them, that's their prerogative. They still might not beat the Buckeyes.
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