As college sports become more irreversibly entrenched in the NIL era, schools may have to get creative when trying to gain an edge above the competition. The NCAA will also have to decide when it wants to set limits. It is doing so now in regards to Oklahoma State football.

The Cowboys are being blocked from displaying QR codes on the back of their helmets that link to their NIL fund, per Action Network's Brett McMurphy. Their hopes of soliciting donations during the 2024 campaign have effectively been crushed, right before Saturday's season opener versus South Dakota State.

Many people lauded Oklahoma State for their ingenuity, but there were plenty who thought they were being too blatant in their NIL advances. LSU head coach Brian Kelly does not believe the QR-helmet idea is “collegiate,” per The Athletic's David Ubben. One cannot help but wonder, though, if the Cowboys are simply the first ones to a party that will inevitably take place.

In the meantime, the NCAA is taking a stand, one that is sure to induce strong opinions on both sides of the aisle. Fans will quickly notice the apparel logos on jerseys and other advertisements that rake in significant profits, emboldening their belief that the collegiate governing body oozes hypocrisy. And yet, many people share in Kelly's view of NIL.

Is NIL a beast that can be tamed?

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Since the landscape of college football is changing so drastically at a rapid rate, there is a fear that chaos could ensue. Coaches are already worried about NIL negotiations getting out of hand. Using QR codes during games might push the sport further towards that direction, or at least make it tougher to blur the lines between the old way and new way of doing things.

But that's the thing, there is no going back. This is the new reality the NCAA lives in. It cannot change it. Regulations could be implemented, though.

It remains to be seen if Oklahoma State football will challenge the QR code decision. As stated before, people will struggle to take this stance seriously when there are many other cash cows that the NCAA willingly milks at the expense of amateur athletics integrity.

Though, even if the Cowboys and other teams that are actively seeking NIL support are kept at bay on the field, who is to say they will not just go door to door with a collection bucket in their hand? Pushing the boundaries in an effort to obtain an advantage is a staple of college football and will likely continue to be going forward. Because, the more things change, the more they stay the same.