Congress has done nil to fix NIL in college sports.

Lawmakers get another chance to tackle NIL in early 2026. 

Let’s start with terms.

“NIL” refers to “name, image, likeness.” College athletes have made bank over the past few years, marketing themselves as their own product. They skip from school to school for more playing time. A bigger spotlight. And that leads to a better NIL deal.

Translation: You’ll probably make more from your NIL contract if you play for Ohio State and not North Dakota State.

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As everyone watches bowl games and the College Football Playoff this holiday season, fans inevitably crow about the lack of parity for schools from the Big 10 and SEC compared to the Mid-American Conference and Sunbelt Conference.

James Madison, we’re looking at you.

The NCAA appears incapacitated to act to rein in NIL and issue nationwide rules. So, they’ve turned to Congress for a fix. 

Good luck with that.

U.S.  House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The House tried to advance a bill in early December. But that legislation plunged into a toxic political scrum. First of all, many Democrats opposed the bill. The legislation then lacked the votes, thanks to some GOP defections. The timing of the legislation was in question, too. The House wasn’t addressing annual spending bills or health care, but college sports. Some Republicans thought this was a bad optic.

This commotion came just as former Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin defected to SEC rival Louisiana State University (LSU) for a king’s ransom. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wasted no time noting that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., are both LSU graduates and superfans of the school’s athletic programs. Jeffries questioned whether well-moneyed alumni connected to the school advocated for Johnson and Scalise to push the NIL bill at that time. Jeffries then anointed the legislation the “Lane Kiffin Protection Act.”

“People are asking the question, ‘Why did you decide to bring this bill this week?’ with all the other issues that the country is demanding that we focus on, led by the affordability crisis that they claim is a scam and a hoax,” posited Jeffries.

The controversy created a maelstrom too challenging for the House to handle. So the GOP brass yanked the legislation off the floor.

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House leaders hope to try again to regulate NIL and manage money in college sports in 2026.

“I think we need to do it sooner rather than later,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas.

“We need a national framework,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., at a House session to prepare a NIL bill over the summer. “One with clarity and real enforcement to bring fairness, transparency, and equity to the new NIL era.”

Lawmakers are now revising the NIL bill to set national standards — and coax enough lawmakers to support it. It’s possible Congress could vote around the same time the nation crowns the next college football champion.

LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)

“We want to get it right to really do what we can to save college sports,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., the main author of the legislation.

The measure in question is known as the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act.

The bill would cap money schools can use from athletic revenue to pay athletes at 22 percent. Most Republicans support the measure. But Democrats believe the plan favors schools. Not athletes. Especially when it comes to labor rights – and treating athletes as university workers. 

“Passing the SCORE Act as it stands would only eliminate students’ abilities to collectively bargain,” said Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio.

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From a labor perspective, is a running back the same as a physics professor?

“I do not think they should be granted employee status,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., of student-athletes.

Some lawmakers aren’t sure whether Congress should even mettle in intercollegiate athletics. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee, questioned the wisdom of addressing this issue in higher education compared to more pressing topics.

“You have to have a college to have college sports,” said Pallone as that panel prepped the bill over the summer. “And the way we’re going with this administration, I don’t even know if there’s going to be any colleges or universities left fighting for.”

Pallone says lawmakers should focus instead on “very real threats to our nation’s colleges and universities.”

Opponents of the legislation contend that the bill bends over backwards for major conferences. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, has problems with that. He demands overall better governance of college athletics. 

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined at right by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, seated, and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“We need to have a better structure around what is currently in NCAA. I think we need to have some reforms and some of the guardrails in what we’re doing. These coaches are getting these massive buyouts,” said Roy.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is pushing NIL regulation. But with a completely different approach. Hawley wants something which stretches far beyond the lines of the athletic fields and basketball arenas. He advocates universal NIL rules — because of Big Tech and AI.

“We ought to give name, image and likeness rights to every single American. You should be able to control your image online. Control your data. Control your kids data,” said Hawley. “[It would be a] great thing to do for parents.”

So, expect the House to try again on NIL in a few weeks. But consider the legislative agenda. A coalition of Democrats and four Republicans are deploying a gambit to go around the Speaker and force a vote to renew health care subsidies. That vote likely ripens around January 8 or 9. Obamacare subsidies expired. So that issue isn’t going away. And we haven’t even talked about trying to avoid a partial government shutdown in late January. The House and Senate have approved precisely zero additional spending plans after they ended the government shutdown in mid-November. Oh, there are the Epstein files and potential bipartisan action on accountability for Attorney General Pam Bondi.

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You think they’re going to deal with college sports? An issue that has simmered on the Congressional backburner for years? And frankly, one which is just as complex and divisive as health care?

If lawmakers fail, they can say they gave it the old college try.

At this point, Notre Dame isn’t wishing for progress. The Irish are wishing for the final pieces.

Notre Dame’s program is close enough to a national title that every missing detail matters, from NIL support to depth at quarterback and the trenches.

If Christmas wishes came true in college football, here’s what each Notre Dame assistant and Marcus Freeman would be hoping to unwrap.

Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame’s head man might be the most coveted coach in college football, so what does he want for Christmas? One obvious answer: support. Specifically, donations to Rally over the Rockne Fund so Notre Dame football can fully flex its NIL muscle.

Is that a little selfish? Probably. But that’s the price of chasing national championships, and every great Notre Dame head coach is ultimately judged by titles. Freeman is no different.

Gino Guidugli
What more could Guidugli want as he has CJ Carr returning and two incoming freshman quarterbacks? Well, how about a backup quarterback with experience? It’s not easy to find a quarterback with experience who wants to play behind Carr, but programs do it every year. It’s vital for Notre Dame’s success as Carr didn’t miss a game in 2024 and that’s a rarity in college football. 

Ja’Juan Seider
Seider’s gift may have come last winter when he decided to take the Notre Dame job. He missed the wild ending of the James Franklin era at Penn State and a disaster of a season in Happy Valley. Seider would love to make another splash on the recruiting trail, and that would be 2027 McKeesport (Pa.) five-star running back Kemon Spell‍. 

Mike Brown 
Notre Dame is close to having a championship-level receiver room. Several key pieces return, but Brown could still use an experienced boundary receiver. Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh is one intriguing option. Marsh shares an agent with CJ Carr, but the real Christmas miracle would be getting him into Notre Dame as a true sophomore.

If it’s not Marsh, the conversation starts with freshman Kaydon Finley showing he’s ready after spring ball. The Texas native will battle Micah Gilbert and Cam Williams, but Brown would feel far more comfortable if two proven options emerge at that spot.

Mike Denbrock
There are a few gifts Denbrock could desire, but the most important is a short-yardage fix. Notre Dame struggled at times in goal-to-go situations and in 2026, Denbrock won’t have Jeremiyah Love or Jadarian Price. Now, Denbrock should have plenty of talent at the running back position, but he’ll need to find a way for Notre Dame to be a little more successful in those situations in 2026 if the Irish want to achieve the big goal. 

Joe Rudolph
This one is easy, especially with Aamil Wagner’s departure to the NFL. The ultimate gift for Rudolph is health and specifically for Charles Jagusah to remain healthy. A freak ATV accident cost Jagusah his season and the Irish need him more than ever with Rudolph looking to fill out his offensive line. 

Chris Ash
The secondary has a chance to be the best in the country. If Notre Dame can generate more edge pressure in 2026, this defense could be overwhelming.

Boubacar Traore is one answer, but Ash needs a couple more players to step up over the next eight months to unlock this Ash defense. 

Al Washington 
Along the same lines, Washington would love to see a few defensive tackles under the tree. The interior line is losing key contributors, and Jason Onye’s petition for another year remains uncertain.

Defensive tackle recruiting is never easy, but a couple of big bodies who can eat space would make life much easier for Washington.

Mike Mickens
The man has everything. Mickens will have the nation’s top cornerback returning in Leonard Moore and one of the most experienced corners in the country on the opposite side in Christian Gray. Mickens also has young depth behind them. At safety, Tae Johnson and Adon Shuler make up one of the best safety groups in the country. Luke Talich is a jack of all trades and then there is incoming freshman Joey O’Brien. 

Mickens needs the gift of a raise. He’s proven he can coach, develop and recruit at a high level. Notre Dame needs to make sure he knows he’s the defensive back coach in the country and that’s filling his pockets with love. 

Marty Biagi
There are two gifts Biagi has asked for this Christmas. One would be a graduate transfer kicker with no injury history. The other would be another Aussie punter, as James Rendell worked out to perfection. Erik Schmidt’s development would be icing on the cake as he can kick and punt. 

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish Under Armour Metallic Tri-Blend Unstoppable Fleece

Throughout the month of December, college football players everywhere are making life-altering decisions about their future. Many are even releasing well-crafted announcements over social media regarding whether they intend to remain with their current program to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Some upper classmen are even declaring their intention to enter next April’s NFL Draft or announcing postseason all-star game invites. And let’s not forget about National Signing Day on the first Wednesday of the month.

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At the same time, college football coaches are having often difficult and frank conversations with their current roster, while at the same time formulating a plan of attack ahead of Jan. 2nd, when the NCAA Transfer Portal opens for two full weeks.

It’s happening all over, … well, except in Athens apparently, where No. 3 Georgia (12-1) is busy preparing for a return to New Orleans for the College Football Playoff‘s Sugar Bowl national quarterfinal against No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1). Kickoff is set for 8 pm ET, New Year’s Day inside the Caesars Superdome. When asked about how he’s splitting his time between bowl prep and roster management at a recent press conference, UGA head coach Kirby Smart flipped the script regarding what he’s telling Bulldogs players that might approach him with concerns about their future.

“We’re focused on this team. I think it’d be remiss to say we’re focused on roster management. We’re not focused on it. We’re focused on prep and getting better,” Smart said Monday. “And for a while it’s been intrinsically looking at ourselves and asking each player: ‘Did you come here to develop? Did you truly come here to develop?’ Because if you did, all your buddies are out there right now, everybody’s announcing what they’re doing, announcing that I’m going into the portal, announcing that I’m re-signing. How about you announce that you’re getting better and you’re going to practice and actually do what (for the prior) 20 and 30 years college football players did before you, which was practice in December – when they’re on good teams – and get better.

“Because if you’re going to play somewhere else, you know what you need to do? You need to get better. If you’re going to play here, you know what you need to do? You need to get better,” Smart continued. “If you want to go to the National Football League and play, this is your last chance to get better. Because they’re not going to give you much opportunity, they’re going to cut you or keep you based on how you do, and they don’t get to practice in pads so many days. So development occurs in December for us, and that’s what we’ve been focused on.”

South Carolina fans received an early Christmas present this week when superstar quarterback LaNorris Sellers and star pass rusher Dylan Stewart both inked new rev-share/NIL deals with the Gamecocks to return for the 2026 season. Sellers announced his plan to return on Monday on X/Twitter, while Stewart confirmed his return Tuesday on Instagram.

And while South Carolina’s Shane Beamer undoubtedly welcomed both back with open arms, the fifth-year Gamecocks head football coach shot down a Tuesday night report from Columbia’s SportsTalk Media Network suggesting the price tag for the two Gamecocks stars was “in the neighborhood of $5 million from the school’s rev share total.”

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“Sounds to me like you need some much better sources,” Beamer reponded on X/Twitter on Christmas Eve. “This isn’t even remotely close to being true. #AnythingForClicks #Merry Christmas”

DeBoer spent one year as Tom Allen’s offensive coordinator, helping Indiana reach its first Florida-based January bowl game (at a time when that still carried greater meaning) in 2019.

And Cignetti spent four years as part of Nick Saban’s first Alabama staff, coaching wide receivers and coordinating recruiting for the program Cignetti eventually helped win a national championship.

But they’ve both distinguished themselves in their profession through their willingness to climb the coaching pyramid: From outside Division I, through lower levels as either a head coach or coordinator, all the way up to the sport’s biggest stage.

“Knowing coach Cignetti and — you referred to it — his path, nothing but respect for how he’s done it, how he’s gotten to this spot,” DeBoer said.