Late Monday night, the U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act in a 77-22 vote. Led by Texas Republican Ted Cruz and Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell, this bill promises the biggest change in college sports history. But do not celebrate just yet. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where passage is far from guaranteed. Until the House passes it and the President signs it, none of these major changes actually go into effect.

For years, the NCAA and major conferences have been begging Washington for a single national law to replace the patchwork of state rules. As On3 reported, Senator Cruz summarized the high stakes on the Senate floor Monday: “This bill is about what makes college sports uniquely American.”

With this vote, college sports are officially closer than ever to having a unified, government-backed playbook. If this bill officially clears the House of Representatives and becomes law, it will completely freeze and regulate the frantic worlds of NIL money, athlete transfers, and conference expansion.

Congress did not just pull these ideas out of thin air. For over a decade, court decisions like O’Bannon v. NCAA and the recent multi-billion-dollar House v. NCAA settlement slowly broke the NCAA’s old amateur rules. Lawmakers are now trying to take those court settlements and write them into federal law so colleges stop getting dragged into court every year.

It also adds a $22.5 million fund to help schools keep players and a $5 million fund for women and all other sorts of non-revenue sports. It also requires multimedia rights companies and third-party collectives to confirm that outside NIL deals are not being used as a hidden way to get around the $50 million cap.

The bill also puts a massive dent in the wild-west transfer portal that has left rosters feeling like temporary parking lots. Under the PCSA, athletes are strictly allowed to transfer only once during their entire college career. The only real exceptions where players can jump ship a second time without penalty are in the event of a head coaching change, the total discontinuation of their sport, or documented university misconduct.

However, graduate transfers will still get an exception and can play right away. The bill also gives the NCAA more power to stop tampering and enforce transfer rules across states. It would also override the NIL laws already in place in some states.

In simple terms, college sports are trying to look like professional leagues without calling players employees. The NFL and NBA already use central rules, trade deadlines, and capped contracts, but they do it through union agreements. Since college athletes do not have a union, the Senate is trying to act like a referee and set those same rules from above.

Another wild wrinkle included in the text is the “Lane Kiffin Rule,” which targets itchy coaching feet. This new rule strictly prevents any FBS head coach, coordinator, or assistant coach from completely abandoning their team for a new job in-season before the end of their current team’s schedule, all thanks to LSU.

Additionally, the bill aims to slow down the constant conference realignment that has damaged historic rivalries. After summer changes made to gain support from the SEC and Big Ten, the PCSA would limit any conference making more than $700 million in revenue to a maximum of 20 members.

For the first six years of the law, any Power Four team that wants to leave its conference for another one would have to spend three years as an independent before joining a new conference. The bill would also protect schools from antitrust issues when they work together to sell their media rights.

While NCAA President Charlie Baker celebrated the vote, he made sure to remind everyone that the battle isn’t over yet.

Right after the vote, Baker stated that “the Senate’s passage of the Protect College Sports Act is a historic milestone for student-athletes and universities alike,” but quickly added that “there is still much work left to do to ensure this vital framework becomes law.”

Beyond these roster caps, the act would also improve player safety by creating independent NCAA compliance oversight on college campuses. This would set minimum standards for athlete healthcare and medical insurance, and guarantee 10-year scholarships so players can finish their degrees after their playing careers end.

The bill would also cap sports agent fees at 5% to help protect players from being overcharged.

Other changes

Despite overwhelming bipartisan support, the bill has faced backlash from critics who argue it hurts player leverage. The Congressional Black Caucus and Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy fiercely opposed the legislation, arguing that it intentionally suppresses the earning potential of young athletes.

Opponents claim the law was designed to protect the billions of dollars pocketed by universities, wealthy coaches, and television executives, all while refusing to give the actual student-athletes a seat at the negotiating table.

Player advocates support regulation but argue rules should be negotiated with athletes, not imposed by lawmakers. Now, the Protect College Sports Act officially heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for a showdown. The timeline is incredibly tight. Apparently, the House isn’t expected to return to Washington, D.C., until after the midterm elections in mid-November.

However, Senator Eric Schmitt, a co-author of the bill, told On3 on Monday, “I would like to do it sooner rather than later… The president is very committed to this and wants to get this thing done too.” Senator Ted Cruz has even publicly floated the idea that Trump should sign the bill live on a broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay once it clears Congress to officially ring in a brand-new era of American sports.