Andrew Coats, the lawyer who won a landmark case against the NCAA in 1984, regrets his role in transforming college football into a money-driven industry.

Coats argued that the NCAA violated antitrust laws by limiting the number of televised games for each school and conference, and the Supreme Court agreed with him.

The ruling allowed universities and conferences to negotiate their own TV contracts, leading to a surge in revenue and power for some schools and a decline for others.

The case also sparked a wave of conference realignment, as schools sought to join more lucrative and prestigious leagues, often at the expense of regional rivalries and student-athlete welfare.

 Coats says he “screwed up college football across the board” by creating an imbalance and instability in the sport, and he wishes he could undo his victory.

The recent changes in college football, such as the expansion of the College Football Playoff, the approval of name, image and likeness rights for players, and the formation of a new superconference by Texas and Oklahoma, are partly influenced by Coats’ case.

 Coats, who is now 86 and retired from law practice, still loves college football and hopes that it can find a way to preserve its traditions and values while adapting to the modern era.