Last week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune throwing doubt into a vote happening on the legislation essentially stoked a fire with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to get this bill in a form in which it could possibly be taken to the Senate floor.Now, we have entered goal line territory.The bipartisan bill was created to help navigate college athletics in this messy time, and out of courtrooms, with numerous eligibility lawsuits filed within the past week alone.Running out of time: SEC, Big Ten wait on 'Protect College Sports Act' revisions as August recess nearsAfter years of lobbying Congress for help, which led to the SCORE Act being created before this latest bill, there is a growing dissension between parties on how much actual help is wanted at the federal level.The biggest hurdle for this legislation was getting the support of conferences like the SEC and Big Ten, who have been holding out on giving their approval until certain sections of the bill were to their liking, or at least did not present hurdles that were too far gone for agreement.On Sunday night, and into early Monday morning, officials from multiple conferences were holding calls with both Cantwell and Cruz.In addition, multiple members of President Trump's committee on saving college athletics were on these calls, hoping to help the revision process.Sen.
Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen.Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., attend a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee roundtable on the Protect College Sports Act and collegiate athletics in the Russell Building on June 10, 2026.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)Last week during SEC Media Days, commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned to OutKick-FOX News that there needed to be certain areas of the legislation tied up so there would not be any loopholes that needed to be corrected, if the bill were to be voted on and signed into law."I think the reality is, if a bill is produced and advances, and it's eventual...