Sources: USC, Michigan question proposed Big Ten private capital deal - ESPN

The Big Ten's proposed $2 billion-plus private capital deal is facing headwinds after a joint meeting Tuesday afternoon between trustees at Michigan and USC led to unified questions about the plan, multiple sources who were on the call told ESPN.

The two schools discussed their shared skepticism during the call. One sticking point: The deal doesn't address the root issue — soaring costs — that has made the need for cash so imperative for athletic departments. Just providing short-term money, sources said, does not solve that issue.

The schools also noted pending federal legislation that makes predicting the future of college athletics difficult, as well as a general apprehension at selling equity in a university asset (the conference media rights).

Both Michigan and USC believe there are funding options that can provide superior terms and would like to slow the process and explore them, sources said. The goal, the meeting agreed, should be to help the Big Ten schools that need money but at the most favorable terms imaginable without giving up equity.

Although the questions are numerous, it is not certain how much influence the trustees can yield on the proposal, let alone change or even stop the process. The complicated agreement remains fluid and continues to be negotiated and worked on, meaning despite the current opposition, a deal still might be worked out.

That said, having two of the league's biggest and most storied athletic brands against it is not insignificant.

The framework of the groundbreaking deal would send a significant infusion of money (in the range of $100 million at minimum) to each of the Big Ten schools. In exchange, the league would spin off a new entity, Big Ten Enterprises, which would hold all