Big Ten? SEC? Independence? Miami's Aspirations Reveal an Existential Threat to College Football

University of Miami president Joe Echevarria says the Hurricanes may explore futures that would not keep them in the ACC, warning of long-term harm to college football’s structure. In an interview with Yahoo Sports’s Ross Dellenger on Thursday, Echevarria argued Miami’s academic profile aligns with the Big Ten and its geography with the SEC. He also said Miami can’t be “locked into a conference” and suggested returning to independence, the status the program had until joining the Big East in 1991. The backdrop is the Protect College Sports Act, which includes a proposed cap intended to limit conference expansion and super-league formation.