Rich Rodriguez calls for unity to save college football

West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez made a public pitch at the Big 12 Conference media days on July 8, advocating for regional unity among approximately 60 college football teams. He proposed a collaborative approach to share television revenues, reminiscent of earlier college football structures. Rodriguez expressed concerns over the impact of recent conference realignments on traditional rivalries, particularly mentioning the Backyard Brawl rivalry with Pittsburgh that won't resume until 2029. He acknowledged that his vision might be impractical in today's environment but urged the need for action before it is too late. He highlighted a pending congressional bill, the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to facilitate revenue sharing among more than 100 schools.

• 8:18 PMYahoo Sports — West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez wants to save college football. Here's his pitch: