Kristof penned the controversial piece headlined, "The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians," that features men and women alleging "brutal sexual abuse at the hands of Israel’s prison guards, soldiers, settlers and interrogators." Many critics blasted it as "propaganda" and poked holes in the reporting, specifically a claim that dogs have been trained to sexually assault Palestinians. 

"Following the publication by Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times of one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press, which also received the backing of the newspaper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar have instructed the initiation of a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times," the Israel Foreign Ministry wrote.  

The New York Times did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment but issued a lengthy statement Wednesday evening defending the story.

"Nicholas Kristof’s deeply reported piece of opinion journalism starts with a proposition to readers: ‘Whatever our views of the Middle East conflict, we should be able to unite in condemning rape.’ He draws together on-the-record accounts and cites several analyses documenting the practice of sexual violence and abuse conducted by various parts of Israel’s security forces and settlers," Times spokesman Charlie Stadtlander wrote.

Stadtlander continued, "The accounts of the 14 men and women he interviewed were corroborated with other witnesses, whenever possible, and with people the victims confided in — that includes family members and lawyers. Details were extensively fact-checked, with accounts further cross-referenced with news reporting, independent research from human-rights groups, surveys and in one case, with U.N. testimony. Independent experts were consulted on the assertions in the piece throughout reporting and fact-checking."

The Times has now issued multiple statements standing by the piece. 

This is a developing story, more to come… 

The Nebraska Examiner reports that Douglas County election officials confirmed that the early-voting ballots to be counted tomorrow will not be enough for State Senator John Cavanaugh to win.

In a Wednesday evening news release, Powell said, “Thank you to my family and friends, my team, and to every candidate who ran – It takes guts to step into the arena, and you have my respect for your willingness to show up and serve.”

Powell will face Republican Brinker Harding in the General Election.

Waymo recently issued a recall for 3,791 vehicles after one of its robotaxis failed to come to a complete stop after encountering flood conditions on a high-speed roadway, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency issued an acknowledgment of the recall on May 11, outlining the issues with the vehicles.

"Waymo provides over half a million trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments across the U.S., and safety is our primary priority. We have identified an area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes specific to higher-speed roadways, and have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to this scenario," a Waymo spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

"We are working to implement additional software safeguards and have put mitigations in place, including refining our extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain, limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur."

ROBOTAXI DRIVES OFF FROM AIRPORT WITH PASSENGER'S SUITCASE

The NHTSA's letter states that Waymo was recalling "certain 5th and 6th Generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS), as the "software may allow the vehicle to slow and then drive into standing water on higher speed roadways." The agency warned that robotaxis entering a flooded roadway could cause loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

"They're testing these in real-life situations, and they're also putting American lives at risk. When you're talking about pedestrians, when you're talking about these flood issues, you know, if you're in one of these Waymos, you're totally dependent on whatever AI program that they've instituted to be able to navigate you safely out of there," a source close to the Trump administration told Fox News Digital.

Last month, Waymo temporarily suspended operations in San Antonio after one of its vehicles entered a flooded roadway and was swept away, KTBC reported at the time, citing a Waymo spokesperson. The vehicle involved in the incident was unoccupied.

"They don't know how to deal with these situations, they haven't been programmed for it, they haven't been tested for it and they're doing real life experimentation on the streets of America," the source said.

THE ROBOTAXI PRICE WAR HAS STARTED. HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

As an interim remedy, Waymo, which operates thousands of vehicles across the U.S., made changes to vehicle operations to enhance weather-related constraints and update its maps, according to the NHTSA. The agency said that all vehicles had received the update by April 20.

The source told Fox News Digital that Waymo vehicles present dangers beyond physical injury to passengers and pedestrians; the company could pose national security threats. The Waymo Ojai, the source pointed out, is produced by Chinese automaker Zeekr.

Waymo formed a partnership with Zeekr in 2021, one year before the company showed a robotaxi based on a version of Zeekr's SEA-M, TechCrunch reported. The outlet added that the prototype did not feature a steering wheel, something the Waymo Ojai has.

"There's no reason to not think that with these cars that are now being rushed to market in so many major American cities that the electronic components which all have cameras in them, they all have audio in them, they're all being recorded all the time, are not susceptible to foreign manipulation," the source told Fox News Digital.

The source said that the Trump administration is "cognizant of the vulnerabilities to foreign spyware."

In response to questions about the company's ties to Chinese automaker Zeekr, a Waymo spokesperson said, "The technology that collects data and makes our vehicles autonomous—the software, sensors, and computing systems—is developed and installed by Waymo in America."

"Waymo strongly supports the Department of Commerce’s BIS connected vehicle rule, which addresses national security risks from foreign AV technology, including both software and hardware. Waymo is committed to furthering our own – and America’s – leadership in the development and deployment of the critical automated driving technologies," the spokesperson added.

The scrutiny surrounding Waymo’s foreign ties comes as the Trump administration ramps up its focus on China-linked technology and supply chains amid President Donald Trump’s high-stakes trip to Beijing.

Whether the incidents involving Waymo vehicles prompt further regulatory action remains to be seen, but they have already raised questions about whether autonomous technology is ready for real-world conditions, and how China-linked supply chains could factor into its expansion.

Fox News Digital's Bonny Chu contributed to this report.

At this year's Cherry Blossom Open, a USA Fencing-sanctioned competition held at the University of Maryland, trans fencer Dinah Yukich, 43, was denied entry, according to The Daily Record.

A year ago, at the 2025 Cherry Blossom Open, female fencer Stephanie Turner went viral after kneeling in protest of a trans opponent and was black-carded and escorted out.

The incident prompted a federal hearing, and the U.S. Olympic team changed its policies in July to comply with President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Now, as USA Fencing has amended its policies to comply with the order, Yukich filed a civil rights complaint after reportedly being banned, per The Daily Record. The complaint reportedly includes one count of denial of public accommodations based on sex and gender identity, and one count of aiding and abetting a discriminatory policy.

USA Fencing has provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the incident, and is standing by the current U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee policy that cites Trump's executive order.

"USA Fencing cannot comment on the specifics of potential litigation. But we can say more generally that, as the recognized Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body for fencing in the United States, we are required to comply with athlete-eligibility guidance issued by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)," the statement read.

A source within USA Fencing told Fox News Digital of Yukich's complaint, "We think it's important to note that we have not received notice of any litigation being filed against USA Fencing in the state of Maryland by this individual."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Yukich's attorney Susie Cirilli for a response.

US OLYMPIC TEAM TO COMPLY WITH TRUMP'S 'KEEPING MEN OUT OF WOMEN'S SPORTS' EXECUTIVE ORDER

Cirilli told The Daily Record, "When you host an event where members of the public can participate, you have to follow state law."

Last year, Turner's viral protest kneel catapulted her into stardom within the "Save Women's Sports" movement. The moment brought immense awareness and scrutiny to USA Fencing's policies.

The organization was targeted by two lawsuits for its handling of trans inclusion policy, and the former chair of the organization was grilled by GOP lawmakers at the congressional hearing last May. In October, the chair of USA Fencing was replaced.

Then in late November, USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital stating it was committed to "earning" trust after a year of controversy.

"USA Fencing remains deeply committed to earning and maintaining the trust of our athletes, fans, and the wider fencing community. The election of Dr. Scott Rodgers as Board Chair reflects our dedication to athlete-centered governance and the continued growth of fencing at every level," the statement read.

"We recognize the challenges of the past several months and are focused on moving forward with integrity, transparency, and a clear vision for the future."

The organization is now taking steps to protect the women's category at competitions, but Yukich is giving USA Fencing a fight on the opposite front.

Yukich sued USA Fencing and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in October 2025 after being banned from competing in women's events. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey, alleges the ban violates state anti-discrimination laws and follows a policy change requiring transgender athletes to compete based on sex assigned at birth.

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But despite a slew of electoral victories and overperformances in the more than 15 months since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the party's image remains well underwater in public opinion polling and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) finds itself badly trailing the rival Republican National Committee in fundraising, a crucial gauge of a party's strength.

To make matters worse, the DNC is facing continued calls to release its internal autopsy of the party's sweeping setbacks in the 2024 election, when Democrats lost the presidency and Senate majority and fell short in winning back control of the House.

Among those calling on the DNC to make public their report on what went wrong for the Democrats in 2024 is former Vice President Kamala Harris, the party's presidential nominee two years ago.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE FLIP FLOPS, PULLS PLUG ON ITS 2024 ELECTION ‘AUTOPSY'

Harris, who is mulling making another White House bid in 2028, recently told donors she believes the DNC should make the autopsy public. The news was first reported by NBC News and confirmed by Fox News Digital.

A source with knowledge said that Harris had not discussed the autopsy with DNC Chair Ken Martin, and that the former vice president did not know in advance about Martin's decision in December to keep the 2024 election postmortem under wraps.

Martin ordered the report soon after he was elected DNC chair early last year.

Democratic Party officials interviewed over 300 Democrats from all 50 states for the report, which Martin promised would examine the party's mistakes in 2024 and offer a roadmap to victory going forward.

There was controversy surrounding the report as it was being compiled, after reports last summer said the autopsy would skip analyzing whether then-President Joe Biden should have run for re-election in 2024 and would pass on judging key decisions made by Harris and her team, after she replaced Biden as the party's nominee with just over three months to go until the 2024 election.

Throughout the process, Martin repeatedly pushed back on calling the report an "autopsy," since he noted that the Democratic Party wasn't dead. He instead labeled the report an "after-action review."

But in December, weeks after Democrats scored major victories in the 2025 off-year elections, the party announced it would not be releasing the report.

Martin, in a statement at the time, said releasing the report would be "a distraction" from the party's "core mission" to win back congressional majorities in the midterms.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

In explaining his decision, Martin wrote, "We completed a comprehensive review of what happened in 2024 and are already putting our learnings into motion. And we're winning again — even in places that haven't gone blue in decades. In our conversations with stakeholders from across the Democratic ecosystem, we are aligned on what’s important, and that’s learning from the past and winning the future."

"Here’s our North Star: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it’s a distraction from the core mission," he emphasized.

But the DNC chair's decision was criticized not only by Republicans but also by fellow Democrats.

"They are spiking an autopsy of the election that gave us Trump 2.0. If party leaders won't take the steps required to rebuild ourselves into a winning coalition, we will take it into our own hands," former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg warned in a social media post at the time.

Hogg, a gun-control crusader who was elected a DNC vice chair as Martin won election as chair, stepped down from his position last summer after upsetting party leaders for his efforts backing primary challenges against what he called "asleep at the wheel" older, longtime incumbents in safe, blue districts.

Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior advisor to then-President Barack Obama and a co-host of the popular progressive podcast "Pod Save America," also took to social media to criticize the move.

"This is a very bad decision that reeks of the caution and complacency that brought us to this moment," Pfeiffer wrote.

His podcast co-host and fellow Obama alum Jon Favreau called the DNC flip-flop "unreal" and "baffling."

"The DNC's actual position is that if the public knew more about what Democrats got wrong in the last election, it would hurt the party's chances in the next election," Favreau wrote on X. "How does this rebuild trust between the party insiders and grassroots activists and organizers?"

Martin last month made an appearance on "Pod Save America" to push back against the criticism.

DNC CHAIR GRILLED BY LIBERAL PODCAST HOST FOR NOT RELEASING 2024 POLITICAL AUTOPSY REPORT

"We’ve been releasing that," Martin said when asked if the DNC would release a summary of the report. "The reality is we’re not hiding the ball on this. We have been sharing those things out. There’s no smoking gun here."

Martin noted that "we've been providing briefings," as he pointed to data from the report the DNC shared with Democratic stakeholders.

Harris isn't the only potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender calling on the DNC to make the full report public.

"Yeah, release the autopsy," Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said this past weekend in an interview on NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "They should do that," the senator added as he pointed to the DNC.

But Booker, who ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination won by Biden and who is mulling another run in 2028, said it's imperative his party doesn't dwell on the past.

Rotimi Adeoye, a former Democratic operative who is serving as a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, argued in a social media post that "the mistake the DNC made is they could’ve released the report earlier in the spring, whatever’s in it, you get two weeks of bad publicity, then Trump does something stupid and everyone forgets."

"Now it feels like something’s being hidden, which makes it way more salacious," he claimed.

A person familiar with the DNC's strategy told Fox News Digital because of all the attention on the autopsy, "they are going to be forced to release something."

The person, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said the ongoing storyline is a distraction for the DNC with the clock ticking towards the midterms, adding "it’s just not helping to be talking about this."

The DNC pointed to Martin's previous comments when contacted by Fox News Digital.

During the Indiana Fever's game against the Los Angeles Sparks, with 20 seconds remaining in the first half, Clark was called for an offensive foul, giving Los Angeles possession.

Clark later walked over to referee Jason Alabanza and appeared to engage in a verbal spat.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Alabanza gave Clark a technical before Indiana headed to the visiting locker room for halftime.

Still, the Fever went on to win 87-78.

Clark now has nine technicals in her WNBA career, with six in her rookie season and two in an injury-plagued 2025.

Clark appears to have had a combative dynamic with referees since the beginning of her professional career. In the Fever's season-opening loss to the Dallas Wings, Clark appeared to suggest certain fouls were not called on her throughout the game.

CAITLIN CLARK'S COACH SUGGESTS STAR OFFERED TO PAY FINE FOR TECHNICAL FOUL OVER YELLING AT WNBA OFFICIALS

"I think especially if they're going to call it the way they're going to call it this year, I think I honestly could have probably got a couple more calls on a few of them, but that's okay," Clark said to reporters after the game when asked about plays when she drove to the basket on Saturday.

Whether officials are calling enough fouls against Clark has been a point of controversy since she entered the league in 2024. Many fans complained that Clark was frequently being targeted with hard contact by opposing players and referees weren't doing enough to protect her.

Meanwhile, Clark came one technical foul shy of taking a one-game suspension during her rookie year.

Clark herself has also made comments seemingly directed at referees in the WNBA. During the WNBA postseason in September, while Clark was injured, she said she was fined $200 for tweeting "Refs couldn’t stop us" after Indiana’s Game 2 win over Atlanta in the first round.

"Got fined $200 for this lol," she wrote on X, adding a series of crying laughter emojis. "BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Clark was previously seen getting into disagreements with referees during a game against the Connecticut Sun last July.

"Are you f----ing kidding me?" Clark appeared to say while Fever assistant Briann January dragged her back to the bench.

As officials continued to look at the replay, the ESPN broadcast showed Clark yelling over toward the officials again: "That’s just rude. Grow up. Come here, come here. Unbelievable."

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

FIFA announced their first ever halftime show for the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In a post on X, featuring Elmo, Coldplay announced that the halftime show would be curated by lead singer Chris Martin and feature BTS, Madonna and Shakira. Shakira is set to release the official song of the World Cup, "Dai Dai," later Thursday.

The show will also "raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund," dedicated to "improving access to quality education and football for children around the world."

FOX broadcasts the entire tournament, with opening matches kicking off on June 11 in Mexico. El Tri hosts South Africa in Mexico City, while South Korea takes on Croatia in Guadalajara.

Then the next day, the other two hosts play their first group stage matches. Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto in Group B. Then the US Men’s National Team, coming off a rocky past few months of friendlies, plays its first match against Paraguay in Los Angeles. They then head to Seattle to play Australia on June 19, before closing out the group stage against Turkey back in LA on June 25.

Unsurprisingly, given the scale and scope of the tournament, and the stage hosting in the US offers, FIFA is pulling out all the entertainment stops.

KATY PERRY TO HEADLINE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP OPENING CEREMONY AS FANS DEBATE WHETHER SHE'S THE RIGHT PICK

Already, soccer’s governing body has set up an extensive list of entertainment to kick off the tournament in the host countries. An opening ceremony in Los Angeles on June 12 will feature music acts like Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. 

"This opening ceremony in Los Angeles represents the extraordinary scale of what the FIFA World Cup 2026 will become," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. "The lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas, highlighting the nation’s rich influence on music, entertainment and pop culture, while showcasing the power of music to bring people together across the country."

That ceremony will kick off 90 minutes before the start of the US match, and will complement two additional opening ceremonies in Canada and Mexico. The opening match in Toronto will feature performances by Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.

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In Mexico, opening ceremony headliners include Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná and Tyla.

Prior performers at World Cup finals include stars like Carlos Santana and Wycleaf Jean at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Will Smith was among those who sang at the 2018 finale in Russia, and Davido, Aisha, Ozuna were part of the 2022 closing ceremony in Qatar.

Over 100 matches. 16 cities hosting in three countries. Over a month’s worth of action, culminating in a momentous finale in New Jersey. The World Cup never fails to deliver.

"In fact, the longest relationship of our two countries that any president and president has had," Trump said at the start of the bilateral meeting Thursday local time. "We've had a fantastic relationship. We've gotten along."

"And whenever we had a problem, we worked that out very quickly," he continued. "We're going to have a fantastic future together."

Trump also praised Xi directly, calling him "a great leader" and emphasizing the personal relationship between the two leaders as a foundation for future cooperation.

TRUMP HEADS TO BEIJING FOR HIGH-STAKES XI TALKS AS TAIWAN TENSIONS, TRADE DISPUTES TEST US STRENGTH

Xi, in his own opening remarks, emphasized cooperation and shared interests between the two countries.

"As leaders of major countries, this year is the 250th anniversary of American independence," Xi said, according to a translator. "Congratulations to you and to the American people. I always believe that our two countries have more common interests than differences." 

"Success in one is an opportunity for the other, and a stable bilateral relationship is good for the world," he continued.

XI JINPING WARNS TRUMP US WOULD 'LOSE FROM CONFRONTATION' WITH CHINA AS RENEWED TRADE WAR LOOMS

"China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. We should be partners, not rivals. We should help each other succeed and prosper together, and find the right way for major countries to get along well with each other in the new era."

Xi added that he looked forward to working with Trump "to set the course for and steer the giant ship of China–U.S. relations so as to make 2026 a historic landmark year that opens up a new chapter in China–U.S. relations."

The comments came as Trump arrived in Beijing accompanied by a delegation of top American executives, underscoring the administration’s focus on economic dealmaking even as broader tensions between the two countries remain unresolved.

INSIDE THE ‘DIGITAL LOCKDOWN’ FOR US OFFICIALS AS TRUMP ARRIVES IN CHINA

"I just want to say, on behalf of all of the great delegation that we have … we have the greatest businessmen," Trump said. "We ask the top 30 in the world. Every single one of them said yes."

The delegation includes executives from major U.S. firms spanning aerospace, finance, technology and agriculture, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon.

White House officials said ahead of the trip that Americans should expect the president to "deliver more good deals," with talks expected to include aerospace, agriculture and energy, as well as continued work on a proposed U.S.-China "Board of Trade" and "Board of Investment."

A senior administration official said the potential trade framework under discussion could involve "double-digit billion" levels of commerce, along with possible purchase commitments from China in areas such as aircraft and agricultural products.

The emphasis on dealmaking comes after years of friction between Washington and Beijing over trade, technology and military competition.

Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods — a policy he has continued into his second term — while repeatedly accusing Beijing of unfair trade practices.

He also has criticized past U.S. policy that helped integrate China into the global trading system, arguing Beijing benefited from open markets without offering the same access in return.

But in his opening remarks Thursday, the president emphasized business ties and personal rapport, highlighting what appeared to be an effort to stabilize economic relations between the world’s two largest economies.

The comments came as administration officials said trade discussions with China are ongoing, alongside talks on issues including Iran, artificial intelligence and other security matters.

Trump’s praise of Xi is consistent with his longstanding approach of using personal diplomacy with foreign leaders, including rivals, as a negotiating tactic — though whether that approach will translate into concrete agreements with China remains to be seen.

After arriving in his armored vehicle Thursday morning local time, Trump met with Xi in front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in front of crowds of military personnel, dignitaries, music and children. 

After shaking hands with the Chinese president, the pair introduced each other to their dignitaries and later stood beneath a ceremonial red-and-yellow canopy for a photo-op as the star-spangled banner and China's national anthem played in the background. 

TRUMP LANDS IN BEIJING FOR HIGH-STAKES XI SUMMIT AS TAIWAN TENSIONS, TRADE DISPUTES TEST US STRENGTH

"That was an honor like few I have ever seen before," Trump said after they made their way into the Great Hall. "I think I was particularly impressed by those children. They were happy, they were beautiful. The military is obvious — it couldn't be better — but those children were amazing, and they represent so much. And I know, I know, they represent so much to you."

The ceremony marked the formal start of Trump’s high-stakes visit, with the pageantry outside the Great Hall giving way to a series of meetings expected to focus on trade, security and the broader effort to stabilize relations between Washington and Beijing. 

The discussions will test whether the public display of diplomacy can translate into progress on the deep disputes that continue to define the U.S.–China relationship.

MARCO RUBIO SAYS US WILL PUSH CHINA TO TAKE A MORE ‘ACTIVE ROLE’ IN IRAN NEGOTIATIONS AHEAD OF TRUMP-XI SUMMIT

During the opening ceremony, Trump walked around and admired the pomp and circumstance that included children waving flags and holding flowers. 

The event included marching by Chinese soldiers and music from Chinese military bands. 

Xi could be seen shaking hands with many of Trump's closest advisors, like policy advisor Stephen Miller and communications director Steven Cheung, in addition to members of his Cabinet.

The public part of the bilateral meeting following the ceremony was very short.

"I look forward to our discussions on major issues important to our two countries and the world," a translator for Xi said.

But if there's one thing fans have learned over the last few years, it's that little in modern college football is certain. And after one round of expansion, from four teams to 12, there's now more discussion and debate over the next round of growth.

Some, including many fans, are happy leaving the field at 12. The SEC, arguably the most powerful conference, wants to move to 16, while maximizing the number of at-large teams. That would, in their view, allow for more teams to reach the field based on strength of schedule instead of conference affiliation. Strength of schedule=more SEC teams, the thinking goes.

Then there's the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and independent Notre Dame.

INSIDE THE FIGHT: NIL ARMS RACE FUELING NEW PUSH FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF EXPANSION

This week, several reports confirmed that the majority of power conferences and the Irish want a 24-team playoff field. While that number has been met with justified skepticism from most fans, there's apparently plenty of support within the sport.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark told On3 that 24 is their strong preference.

"We like 24, we want 24," he said. "There are too many teams getting left out and 24 teams provides the type of access that is warranted.  That being said, we need to do the work around the economics around a 24-team format and make sure we address any unintended consequences."

HERE'S WHY THE COACHES ASSOCIATION'S 24-TEAM COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF COULD RUIN THE SPORT

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said much the same thing at his conference's media days this week.

"Our desire with the coaches and the ADs is 24," Phillips said. "When you’re leaving national championship-contending teams out of the playoff, you don’t have the right number. We lived through it, we suffered through it with Florida State, when the field was four.

"I know other schools have suffered for it. Notre Dame was a CFP worthy team last year and you saw what happened to the last team that got invited with Miami."

That aligns with what the Big Ten and Commissioner Tony Petitti proposed in initial discussions after the end of the 2025-2026 season. So if the Big Ten, the Big 12, the ACC and Notre Dame, essentially four of the five most important voices in college football all agree on 24 teams, why hasn't it already happened?

Reportedly, mostly because of ESPN.

"ESPN’s made it clear, they want it to stay at 12 or 14, but no more than 16," Phillips added on Wednesday.

What? ESPN? A broadcaster has that much power over the playoff format for an entire sport?

There are some reasons why ESPN would want the playoff to stay where it is, or not expand too widely. Mainly that they own the rights up to a 14-team field, meaning they'd be forced to open up bidding on any additional playoff games. Ironically, for fans that dislike ESPN's perceived level of control over college football, it's that exact level of control that could stop a potentially unpopular 24-team format.

The SEC also has an important voice in the room, and Commissioner Greg Sankey already reaffirmed recently that he believes a 16-team expansion is better.

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"That focus hasn’t changed," Sankey explained Monday at a media meeting in Alabama. "We’re open to the conversation, but there are a lot of ideas out there that have to be supported with analysis and information, not speculation."

The incentives here are obvious. The ACC and Big 12 believe that a larger field will give them more opportunities in a new landscape dominated by the Big Ten and SEC. The Big Ten thinks 24 teams would bring in more revenue and the opportunity to host more home playoff games. Notre Dame has realized that, as teams optimize their schedules to make the playoff instead of play tougher non-conference opponents, it'll be a struggle for them to compete with the strength of the Big Ten or SEC resumes and reach the top 12 each year.

Meanwhile, the SEC wants 16 teams with as few auto bids as possible in the hopes of putting half their conference in the field each year. Thereby reinforcing their view that they're the premier conference in the sport. And half the conference isn't an exaggeration, considering Sankey's prior remarks.

Where this ends up is anyone's guess, but it's hard to see ESPN winning out in the long run relative to the power of those other conferences.