Greedy SEC, Big Ten move closer to football dictatorship both leagues want

• The SEC and Big Ten conferences are pushing for a College Football Playoff format that would guarantee them the most spots, drawing criticism for their greed and disregard for smaller conferences.
• Former Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan has been named a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after years of being overlooked despite his impressive coaching record.
• Jacksonville University men’s basketball coach Jordan Mincy is facing a difficult decision regarding the return of injured starting center Stephon Payne III for the ASUN tournament.
• North Florida basketball coach Matthew Driscoll expresses frustration over his team’s poor defense, which has plagued them throughout the season and raises concerns for their ASUN tournament chances.

College football loses with SEC-Big Ten dictatorship 

The SEC and Big Ten Conferences huddled up in New Orleans this week to essentially discuss two big topics: how to create a bigger monopoly on college football than they have already and collect more television revenue from ESPN. 

Since the SEC and Big Ten hold all the power on the future College Football Playoff starting in 2026 — which begins a six-year agreement with ESPN — it has been widely reported the behemoth leagues will move the CFP to a 14-team or 16-team model. 

The major component is it would deliver to them four automatic qualifiers apiece, a ridiculous guarantee which puts on display the same greed that has sadly elevated SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten colleague Tony Petitti to being partners in a dictatorship. 

No league should be guaranteed anything beyond two automatic bids, which is what the ACC and Big 12 would have in the proposed format, with one Group of Five champion and Notre Dame (if ranked in the top 14) also getting berths. 

Granted, the SEC and Big Ten would probably get at least four spots in most years anyway in either the 14-team or 16-team model, maybe five or six. But at least give all the conferences and Group of Five a chance for expanded access to the CFP.  

Of course, the SEC and Big Ten are too arrogant and greedy to do what’s right for the greater good of the sport. All they care about is acquiring more power and money to fill their own treasure chests, which may well lead to them forming a super league to further exclude the college football have-nots. 

Say goodbye to college football as a fair, balanced sport. The only good outcome here would be for Sankey and Petitti to eventually choke on their own selfishness. 

Donovan overdue for Basketball HOF election 

A decade after he first became eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, former Florida coach Billy Donovan has finally become an HOF finalist. 

Some might argue if Donovan had stayed with the Gators instead of going to the NBA after the 2014-15 season, he might already be enshrined. 

But when you consider Donovan won back-to-back national titles, guided UF to four Final Four appearances, had a .709 win percentage in 21 college seasons as a head coach and took the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Western Conference finals in his first NBA season, he should have been voted into the HOF a long time ago. 

In the last decade, college coaches Gary Williams and Jay Wright — with a combined three national titles and lower college win percentages than Donovan — have been inducted into the HOF. 

The fact that Donovan, 59, is just now making it as a finalist is a glaring oversight by the voters. This possible makeup call, with the HOF announcing new members on April 5 in San Antonio, has been way overdue.

Tough call for JU hoops on Payne’s return 

Going into Monday’s ASUN tournament quarterfinal matchup against Eastern Kentucky at Swisher Gym, one of the tough issues for Jacksonville University men’s basketball coach Jordan Mincy has been dealing with a timeline for the return of starting center Stephon Payne III. 

It’s been difficult for the Dolphins to gauge when Payne’s bruised left foot — it got progressively worse and finally forced him out after a 77-62 win over Central Arkansas on Feb. 13 — would be properly healed to put him back on the floor. 

With JU losing three straight games after Payne’s absence, the 6-foot-9 product from Jackson High and his mother have pleaded with Mincy to play him, but the Dolphins’ fourth-year coach has put up a stop sign. He firmly believes it’s in Payne’s best interest to rest and take the risk of playing in the ASUN tourney when the stakes are higher. 

“I don’t want to mess [Payne] up and play him early,” Mincy said after Monday’s ugly 59-55 win over Eastern Kentucky. “Trust me, he’s mad at me. His Mom wants him playing, too. 

“I told her, ‘If you want me to be a father figure to him, I got to treat him like my son.’“ 

While JU (17-12, 11-6) could be a threat to make a run in the ASUN tourney, the chances of that happening without Payne are diminished because he’s a defensive presence and their best rim protector.

Lack of defense exasperates UNF’s Driscoll

North Florida basketball coach Matthew Driscoll didn’t have to look at the stat sheet after Wednesday’s 86-81 loss to Eastern Kentucky to understand why his Ospreys finished with a losing record in the ASUN for only the fourth time in his 16 seasons at UNF.

“We can’t get a stop, that’s my frustration,” said Driscoll.

Indeed, the Ospreys’ ASUN-leading 83.3 points per game was offset by a defense that allowed 84.6 points per game, worst in the 12-team league. In four home games, UNF gave up 88 points against last-place Bellarmine, plus 97 points to Austin Peay, 96 points to Lipscomb and 90 points to North Alabama.

That doesn’t bode well for UNF’s chances in the ASUN tournament, starting with Sunday’s first round matchup against Austin Peay at North Alabama. If the No. 8-seeded Ospreys knock off the Governors, they get No. 2 seed North Alabama the following night on the Lions’ home court.

gfrenette@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrentte.

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