TCU's Sonny Dykes Thinks CFB Power Conferences, Group of 5 Could Split 'Eventually'

As the gulf between the FBS power conferences and Group of Five schools grows wider, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes thinks a split between the two is coming.

Speaking to Mike Craven of TexasFootball.com, Dykes explained why there has "got to be a split eventually" between the power conferences and Group of Five conferences:

"There is such a big difference right now between the haves and the have nots and I think we'll eventually split into two separate divisions," he said. "Alabama and Louisiana Tech aren't playing the same sport."

This isn't the first time a separation between the power five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC) and G5 conferences (AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt) has been brought up.

In fact, Chris Vannini of The Athletic reported on April 23 that multiple administrators from Group of Five schools have had preliminary talks about a "G5-only postseason playoff or even wide-scale G5 realignment with the involvement of private equity."

On the same day as Vannini's story dropped, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley pitched a Group of Five playoff with private equity financial backing.

Dodd noted Dooley's concept would be designed, in part, to address concerns from the Group of Five conferences over the revenue distribution shares in the new College Football Playoff media rights deal.

ESPN signed an exclusive deal with the College Football Playoff in April to be the sole media rights holder through the 2031-32 season. The deal costs the network $1.3 billion per year starting in 2026 and accounts for the expanded 12-team playoff that will be implemented next season.

According to Dodd, the Group of Five schools split nine percent of the annual $1.3 billion payout. Even though the total payout is an increase for the schools, their percentage has decreased after receiving a 22 percent annual payout in the original deal that began in 2014.

There's also an argument that fielding a G5 roster capable of competing with a Power 5 club is becoming more difficult in the current NIL era because most of the big-conference schools have the ability to offer players, either incoming freshmen or transfers, more money.

This isn't to say that it's impossible for a G5 team to crash the Playoff party. Cincinnati made the four-team playoff in 2021 after an undefeated regular season. The Bearcats lost to Alabama, 27-6, in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

In theory, it should be easier now for a G5 school to make the Playoff with 12 spots available than when Cincinnati got in. That wouldn't have been the case last year, as Liberty and SMU were the highest-ranking non-Power 5 programs in the final playoff standings at No. 23 and 24, respectively.

But every year there are non-traditional powers that come out of nowhere to shake up the rankings. Tulane finished in the top 20 of the final CFP rankings two years ago. Troy and UTSA rounded out the top 25 in 2022.

SMU is set to join the ACC, effective July 1, after spending the past 11 seasons in the AAC. Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger noted the Mustangs are forgoing $24 million annually through 2032 as part of the deal to move to the ACC.

The money is "the amount of an ESPN share that the network is required to distribute to the conference for each new team," Dellenger wrote.

Dykes, who was SMU's head coach for four seasons from 2018 to '21, has an 18-9 record in two seasons at TCU. He led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff Championship Game in his first season.