Thoughts of the Day: May 24, 2026

Would Greg Sankey and the SEC be willing to go it alone?

A few thoughts to jump start your Sunday morning:

“Okay Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” – Astronaut Jack Swigert, command module pilot, Apollo 13

That was 1974, back when there was less computing power in all of the Johnson Space Center in Houston than you have in your typical laptop some 52 years later. Because smart people with common sense and problem-solving focus found solutions, all the astronauts from Apollo 13 returned to earth safely.

So here we are in 2026 and the NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, has screwed up college sports so badly that we are in desperate need of smart people with common sense and problem-solving focus to come up with practical solutions to avoid an implosion of epic proportions. Smart people. Common sense. Problem-solving focus. Three vital elements that seem to be in short supply at a point where time seems to be running out rapidly.

At the core of the problem is the NCAA, which is 90 percent responsible for the mess college sports find themselves in. Mix horrendous leadership decisions, a bloated bureaucracy, outright stupidity, too many rules and no consistent enforcement together and you get what we have right now, which is a mess that teeters on the verge of collapse.

So, what is the NCAA doing to avoid an iceberg bigger than the one that sunk the Titanic? Why, it’s gone to Congress, of course, hat in hand, begging for solutions from an organization that is taking a month-long vacation rather than dealing with issues that affect every American, documented or undocumented. Calling it the blind leading the blind would be more than generous.   

The Big Ten has grown so impatient waiting for answers that it is considering breaking away from the NCAA and abiding by its own set of rules. That’s not exactly a novel approach. Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, who has insight while the other commissioners can’t see through bifocals, has for quite some time hinted that the SEC is more than willing to go it alone and he has the power of the single most vested network in college sports (ESPN) backing him up. But, when the two most powerful conferences in all of college sports are considering secession as an alternative to what we have now, then we indeed have a problem that needs to be addressed and solved immediately.

Calling it frustration in the ranks would be the equivalent of calling a Cat 5 hurricane a gust of wind.

As early as next month, the NCAA is expected to enact its 5-for-5 legislation. On the surface this is one of those rare moments when, like the bolt of lightning that struck Lee Trevino at the Western Open back in 1975, an intelligent thought has struck the NCAA. This is a great idea that there will be age limits and a time frame for playing that will eliminate things such as Kentucky signing Franck Kepnang, who will be playing his seventh year of college basketball. Showing the consistency of an amoeba, a brainless one-celled creature that splits into a second one-celled creature without so much as a thought, the NCAA has granted Kepnang a waiver to play.

If the new legislation is passed as written, Kepnang will be ineligible. There are no waivers in the new rules. There are age limits. Pros from leagues around the globe such as soon to be 26-year-old Israeli point guard Yam Madar, who signed with LSU, will be ineligible. And players who had already played four years prior to the 2026-27 athletic year won’t be grandfathered in.

There is this teensy problem, however, one that the NCAA always faces when it attempts to do something intelligent. Lawsuits. Every time the NCAA tries something new, it winds up in court rooms all over the country getting kneecapped by local lawyers and judges. It wouldn’t happen if all the so-called smart people at the NCAA could write legislation that has fewer holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese.

We know this is going to happen because this is what always happens. What we’re left to wonder is why all these allegedly smart people with the title of college president haven’t seen through all the years of NCAA blunders and urged their colleagues to start a new organization with airtight rules and a powerful commissioner who can and will rule with an iron hand.

Why indeed. As it has been pointed out many, many times, at the heart of the problem is college presidents who (a) know nothing about sports, (b) know nothing about business and (c) believe they are the smartest person in any room they enter. Just because they have a PhD doesn’t make them smarter, it simply means they went to school more years and did a Peter Principle ascent up the academic bureaucratic ladder.

The current situation hasn’t reached the point of no return. Yet. It’s getting close and we’re left to wonder if a leader with a plan and the strength to carry it out successfully will emerge.

UF BASEBALL: WILL THE GATORS EARN A TOP EIGHT SEED?

Despite their loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament semifinals Saturday, the bracketologists at D1Baseball have moved the Gators (39-19) up one notch to a No. 8 seed. Hosting an NCAA regional has been a foregone conclusion for much of May, but the surge that has taken Florida from spinning its wheels to 10 wins in the last 12 games could mean the Gators will host a super regional if they can emerge from next weekend’s regional warfare.

Here are the D1Baseball’s top 16 seeded teams (SEC teams bold face): 1. UCLA; 2. Georgia Tech; 3. Georgia; 4. North Carolina; 5. Auburn; 6. Texas; 7. Alabama; 8. FLORIDA; 9. Southern Miss; 10. Texas A&M; 11. Florida State; 12. West Virginia; 13. Nebraska; 14. Kansas; 15. Arkansas; 16. Mississippi State

D1Baseball projects a Gainesville regional that will include Arizona State, Saint Joseph’s and Rider. Winner of the No. 8 seeded regional would play host to the No. 9 seeded regional in super regional play. In Florida’s case the No. 9 Hattiesburg regional hosted by Southern Miss.

UF SOFTBALL: GATORS ONE WIN AWAY FROM OKC

One day after pitching or lack of was responsible for Florida (52-11) to drop the first game of the Gainesville NCAA Super Regional to Texas Tech, Keagan Rothrock delivered a gutty performance to force game three today (12 noon, ESPNU) at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

A day after Texas Tech hammered four Gator pitchers for 10 runs, Rothrock (30-6) fought through the heat and humidity to scatter five Texas Tech hits while striking out five. Backed by 14 hits that included 2-run homers by Jocelyn Erickson and Madison Walker, Rothrock and the Gators decisively handed Texas Tech a 10-2 loss that evened the best-of-three series at 1-1.

Erickson hit a 2-run homer in the first and a run-scoring single in the third. Walker blasted a towering home run in the fourth that sent Texas Tech ace Nijaree Canady packing. Walker also delivered an RBI single in the fifth. Kenleigh Cahalan drove in two with a single and Ella Weslowski doubled in a run to cap a 4-run Florida outburst. Gabi Comia’s seventh inning single completed the scoring for the Gators.

Texas Tech came to Gainesville with a 1.80 ERA, but in two games against Florida, the Red Raiders have given up 18 runs, 23 hits and six home runs. Canady, who makes $1 million in NIL money, has allowed eight earned runs and four homers in 5-2/3 innings. Tech expects to start Kaitlyn Terry against the Gators today while Rothrock will get the start for the Gators.

UF WOMEN’S GOLF: GATORS MOVE INTO TOP 15

The Gators rebounded from a disappointing 9-over par first round at the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California with a 3-under round Saturday that moved them up 12 places into a tie for 11^th. Siiu Wu led Florida’s resurgence with an NCAA record 8-under 64.

The Gators made the cut for the third round of stroke play today, but they have to finish in the top 15 to advance to the final round of stroke play Monday. The top eight advance to match play which determines the NCAA champion.

Top 15 team leaderboard (SEC schools bold face) 1. Stanford -12; 2. Southern Cal -9; 3. Oklahoma State -7; 4. (Tie) Arkansas and Iowa State E; 6. (Tie) SMU and Duke +1; 8. Texas +2; 9. (Tie) Eastern Michigan and Arizona State +5; 11. (Tie) FLORIDA and Northwestern +6; 13. Missouri +7; 14. Pepperdine +9; 15. (Tie) Tennessee, Texas A&M and Florida State +10

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, is finally doing a serious probe of Ole Miss for tampering violations regarding linebacker Luke Ferelli. Ferelli was the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025 at California. He signed a contract with Clemson, enrolled in classes and had already begun offseason workouts with the Tigers. That didn’t stop Ole Miss, which continued to recruit him.

Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells sent Ole Miss a cease and desist letter that Ole Miss chose to ignore. Ole Miss coach Pete Golding reportedly asked Ferelli what it would cost to buy out his Clemson NIL deal, then sent a photo of a $1 million contract. Ferelli apparently took the money and ran.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney allegedly has evidence of Golding and Ole Miss tampering. Obviously the NCAA is taking the allegations seriously enough that it has demanded Ferelli’s phone records and imaging of the phones of Golding and other Ole Miss staffers who might have had contact with Ferelli.

If the allegations are true, then this case demands the NCAA deal swiftly and harshly with Ole Miss, making the Rebels the poster child for what happens when you tamper with athletes who have signed contracts. This cannot be handled with a slap on the wrist. Something that resembles nuclear winter may seem overkill, but dreadful consequences are required to bring an end to the rampant cheating and tampering that’s going on in the portal.

This raises a couple of questions: (1) Does the NCAA have the spinal cord it takes to take a severe stance against cheaters? and (2) even if it does drop the hammer on Ole Miss is it too late to regain control?