COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - A Federal judge ruled Friday that the NCAA must pay $2.8 billion after settling a lawsuit brought on by former athletes.

The ruling paves the way for Division I universities to begin paying the athletes directly. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules have been observed since 2021, which allowed for athletes to make money through endorsements and other revenue streams, but not from the university directly.

The defending National Champion Ohio State University Buckeyes will take the field at Ohio Stadium in just more than 80 days, but when they do, the entire landscape of college sports will have changed completely – universities are set to begin paying their athletes directly on July 1.

"There's going to be some athletes that are on our teams right now that won't

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