The Protect College Sports Act hit an obstacle in Congress as the Big Ten and SEC said they do not support the bill “as drafted.” In a joint statement, the two conferences cited “critical issues” they say the legislation leaves unresolved. The development matters because it signals that the most powerful stakeholders in NCAA Division I football and basketball are coordinating legal and policy positions ahead of additional legislative movement. It also indicates that any eventual compromise will likely need to address unresolved questions around NIL and the transfer portal. For higher education governance professionals, the update is a reminder that legislative timelines are increasingly shaped by conference-level compliance planning rather than only federal oversight.