Two of the most powerful people in college sports, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Pacific-10 Commissioner Larry Scott, expressed concerns Thursday about the N.C.A.A.’s decision to declare Auburn quarterback Cam Newton eligible for Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game. The N.C.A.A. had acknowledged that Newton’s father used a third party to shop his son in a “pay-for-play” scheme.

Delany, a former N.C.A.A. investigator who is familiar with its nuances, said in a telephone interview that the N.C.A.A. “missed an opportunity to stand up.” Scott, in his first year at the Pac-10, said his office had heard from numerous universities in the conference that had concerns about Wednesday’s decision.

Delany said he had told the N.C.A.A. his thoughts, adding that the theory behind the decision set a worrisome precedent.

“What I would say on any third-party issue is that the analysis in my view, whether you’re an assistant coach, president or a booster or a parent, is that there ought to be accountability,” Delany said. “There ought to be consequences.”