Ohio State Athletic Director 'Nails' Biggest Problem In College Sports

With realignment running rampant, television deals dictating when and where teams play and the always-present controversy that is NIL, it's safe to say that college sports are in a precarious place.

The very concept of amateurism, which the NCAA has built upon for a century, is being threatened by new laws and decisions that place the power in the hands of student-athletes and - to a greater degree - television executives.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith recently gave his opinion on the most pressing issue in college sports.

“There are 350 DI schools & the way they are financed are very different. Some schools are funded thru student fees," Smith said.

"Ohio State is not. We are a different beast. We don’t have the same issues. The diversity is significant."

Smith acknowledged the privilege that schools like Ohio State hold in the college football landscape. The Buckeyes are self-sufficient, a team and athletic program funded by itself and its own ability to generate revenue.

The majority of schools in the NCAA do not have that same privilege, as they rely on one sport (usually football) to subsidize the rest of the athletic program. 

There's even more inequality at the Division II and III levels, as those football programs don't have the ability to generate revenue in the same way that a Division I FBS or FCS program can.

As schools like Ohio State separate from the rest of college sports with the growing size and scope of major college football, it could get even worse for the smaller schools dealing with these issues.