The landscape of college football is currently less of a playing field and more of a chaotic frontier. Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer understands this well and is not mincing words about it.
In a series of candid remarks, Meyer has labeled the current state of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) as “cheating,” ahead of the college sports roundtable at the White House.
Urban Meyer Doesn’t Hold Back on NIL Repercussions
Meyer appeared on the “College Sports on SiriusXM,” where he discussed the ramifications of the NIL. To him, NIL has evolved from a platform for individual athlete branding into an unregulated arms race. While he approves of a specific NIL version, like a star player signing a legitimate deal with a local car dealership, he has leveled heavy criticism at NIL collectives.
Meyer said, “Interest in college football has never greater, but there is also residual damage being done… Quit calling it NIL, it’s cheating. It’s not NIL. You’re paying guys to play.”
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“Jeremiah Smith can be a Nike athlete. Get paid absolutely. That’s called the American way. But they have donors throw millions of dollars in pot and distribute per Instagram post. That’s called cheating. We’ve got to get a handle on that,” Meyer continued.
Meyer’s cheating rhetoric is gaining traction as specific corruption allegations rock the 2025–2026 season. In January 2026, the College Sports Commission (CSC) issued formal notices to 20 Division I schools regarding third-party NIL violations, specifically targeting deals that induce athletes to transfer.
Major lawsuits are also currently unfolding, such as Duke suing former quarterback Darian Mensah, who ranked 11th in the nation by PFSN’s CFB QB Impact. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney also accused Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding of tampering. So, Meyer’s comments’ timing also doesn’t come as a surprise.
On March 6, a high-profile roundtable is being held at the White House. The summit features a who’s who of the sporting world, including Meyer, Nick Saban, and several Heisman winners. The goal of this meeting is to address the chaos of the current system. It could result in national NIL standards, antitrust protections, and new revenue-sharing.
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If this roundtable leads to federal legislation, the implications would be seismic. A federal NIL law could effectively shut down the unregulated collective model Meyer loathes, bringing player compensation in-house under university control.
As Meyer and his peers take their grievances to the highest office in the land, the future of the Saturday ritual hangs in the balance.
