Latest BCS-TV deal likely to pilfer fans' pockets in future

Show me the money, big money.

University presidents have signed on for a deal with ESPN that includes exclusive television, radio, digital, international and marketing rights for the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls from 2011-14 and the Bowl Championship Series title game from 2011-13. The $125 million a year payout is about 40 percent more than the current contract with Fox. This is likely the end of "free" BCS Championship TV as we know it.

Any doubt who's the best team? Just ask Percy Harvin. (Getty Images)

A cable broadcast entity willing to pay 40 percent more for a property, while it currently can deliver the product to approximately 16 million fewer homes than Fox, doesn't intend for this to be a loss-leader. The audiences are already there and most assuredly will be asked to pay at some point. That money has to be made up somewhere -- cable systems ought to brace themselves.

And, as always, the cost will likely be passed on to the consumer.

For those of you who want a playoff, forget it. President-elect Barack Obama, there's no longer any need to throw your weight around. When Fox steps aside in 2009 or sooner, the national title will still be decided by the B.S. BCS rather than on the field. All those meetings and statements issued by the university presidents now look a lot like a holding action until the money ship came in. There's something else here that confirms what I've always said and, frankly, makes me reach for the Pepto-Bismol. College football is an oligarchy that uses kids to create enormous wealth across what we might call the "competitive spectrum." That, sports fans, is the bottom line.

Mo Money

Tennessee's Phil Fulmer was making $2.8 million and will go out the door with $6 million. Ron Prince, Kansas State's outgoing coach, brought in $1.1 million and leaves with $1.5 million. Charlie Weis, who is not measuring up at Notre Dame, is safe because of his $4.2 million salary and a long-term deal while Greg Robinson was ousted at Syracuse after going 9-36 record.

Turner Gill deserves a shot, in my opinion. He has done an outstanding job at Buffalo and knows the territory. In a world of contrasts, Robinson was making $1.1 million, Gill is earning $190,000 a year.

We heard it through the grapevine that the Vols want North Carolina's Butch Davis, who already is making $2.8 million. NFL coaches Jon Gruden (Tampa Bay) and Lovie Smith (Chicago) were called about the job. No interest.

Texas Tech's Mike Leach has been mentioned for the Tennessee and Clemson jobs, though some think he's a good fit for Washington. The Huskies need to do something dramatic to lift themselves from their dust of shame.

If Dabo Swinney can get Clemson bowl eligible, I think he has a chance to take over the Clemson job.

Gators are chomping

Forget the polls, the country's best team is Florida. While calling their humbling of South Carolina last week, TV analyst Gary Danielson called the Gators "the perfect storm on both sides of the ball." They've beaten six consecutive SEC teams by 28 points or more, and averaged nearly 50 points in those six victories. Can they keep it up? The word is Bill Belichick called his old bud Urban Meyer with an urgent message: "Keep on your guys, because the whole world will be telling them how good they are." The Gators might cool off, but if they keep playing at this level, nobody will beat them.

Supermen at War

Oklahoma and Texas Tech are at it this week. Bob Stoops is 59-2 at home, and that's the main reason I like the Sooners -- even though the Red Raiders aren't going to be intimidated at Norman and they've beaten the Sooners twice in the past three years.

Down in War Eagle land, Auburn is set to talk with Tommy Tuberville about his future after the Iron Bowl. Speculation coming out of East Alabama is that Tuberville will clean house and that's the end of it, but I'm not so sure. In any case, it would be far better for the players if a decision were made now instead of later. For some reason, the kids on the field always seem to end up bystanders.