Governance & Enforcement
Enforcement That Operates at the Speed of the Sport.
A seven-stage process designed for speed, fairness, and institutional credibility — with full due process protections at every stage.
Enforcement Mandate
Why Enforcement Is the Foundation
Governance without enforcement is aspiration. The CFGC was built on the principle that rules without consequences are merely suggestions — and that college football can no longer afford a governance model built on suggestions.
The Council's authority to investigate, find facts, or publish an outcome exists only as to a conference or institution that has granted that authority in a written membership agreement, and only within the scope of that agreement. The member remains the party that holds, or has delegated, the underlying tools. The model is built so that a conference is not asked to sit as judge in a dispute with another conference's member.
Jurisdiction
What CFGC Can Enforce
- Cross-conference coaching-transition and tampering conduct among participating members
- NIL and associated-entity conduct among participating members, excluding questions assigned to the College Sports Commission
- Transfer-portal process standards among participating members
- Cross-conference recruiting-compliance standards among participating members
- Cross-conference dispute resolution among participating members
Process
Seven-Stage Enforcement Process
Intake and Preliminary Review
Intake and preliminary review by the Commissioner's Office.
Intake and Preliminary Review
Intake and preliminary review by the Commissioner's Office.
Formal Investigation
Formal investigation, with written notice.
Formal Investigation
Formal investigation, with written notice.
Preliminary Assessment
Preliminary assessment, with a right to submit a written response.
Preliminary Assessment
Preliminary assessment, with a right to submit a written response.
Investigative Report
Investigative report, with access to the record before a proposed consequence.
Investigative Report
Investigative report, with access to the record before a proposed consequence.
Hearing
Hearing before a panel that did not investigate the matter.
Hearing
Hearing before a panel that did not investigate the matter.
Written Decision
Written decision.
Written Decision
Written decision.
Internal Appeal
Internal appeal to a separate panel.
Internal Appeal
Internal appeal to a separate panel.
Sanctions
Sanctions Framework
Consequences, when they exist, are the tools a participating member can already lawfully use and has delegated in its membership agreement. They run to that member. They do not run to a student-athlete. A public tariff of fines is not how those tools are set.
Due Process
Due Process Protections
Every institution subject to CFGC enforcement action is entitled to the following protections at every stage of the process.
Written notice of investigation and all allegations
Right to submit a written response to the Preliminary Assessment
Full access to the Investigative Report before any sanctions are proposed
Right to respond to proposed sanctions with additional evidence or legal arguments
Right to appeal final sanctions to a separate appeal panel
Right to counsel at any stage of the enforcement process
Council process binds members that have agreed to it. It does not bind a student-athlete, and it does not decide student-athlete eligibility.
Enforcement That Earns Trust.
Learn how CFGC's AI platform accelerates investigations while maintaining evidentiary rigor.