Is Federal Legislation Needed In College Sports? + SEC Preseason Power Rankings & SEC Football Media Days

Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss whether college sports need federal legislation, the 2026 SEC preseason rankings and the conference's growing influence over the future of the NCAA.

The 2026 SEC Football Media Days are underway in Tampa, Florida, as coaches and players preview the upcoming season. The SEC once again enters the year loaded with national championship contenders, while several middle-tier programs look capable of pulling off major upsets. The preseason media poll has sparked plenty of debate: Are the rankings accurate? Is Alabama ranked too low? And is Kalen DeBoer already on the hot seat?

The crew also examines the SEC's increasing power in shaping the future of college athletics. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has acknowledged that the possibility of the conference breaking away from the NCAA is "very real," but says his preferred solution is federal legislation, specifically the Protect College Sports Act, which would create national standards for athlete compensation and strengthen NCAA enforcement. Is federal legislation the best path forward, or is the SEC headed toward a future outside the NCAA?

The Sports Shop with Reese and K-Mac: The best urban sports talk show heard weekday mornings from 7 to 10 on Buzz Sports Radio, 99.3 FM in Raleigh, NC, 96.5 FM in Durham, 99.9 HD2, and always streaming through WRALSportsFan.