College football's 25 most powerful people: From Trump to ESPN to judges

The current landscape of college football reveals that power is no longer concentrated exclusively with commissioners or on the sidelines. Instead, significant influence has shifted toward television boardrooms, law firms, courtrooms, and donor suites. This evolution indicates that the most powerful figures in the sport now include a diverse group ranging from Donald Trump and ESPN executives to various judges, reflecting a broader systemic change in how college sports are governed and managed today.