SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey speaks on potential college football playoff expansion

ATLANTA, Ga. (WRBL) — SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey addressed the ongoing college football playoff expansion debate on Monday to open up SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

Sankey stated that the conference commissioners have not yet agreed on a playoff format for the future and are continuing to have conversations.

“The Big Ten has a different view. That’s fine. We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That could stay if we can’t agree,” said Sankey.

Sankey also mentioned that he has considered the concept of a 14 or even 16-team playoff, while maintaining the five automatic conference champion bids.

“In that memorandum of understanding, the top five champions have a role, unless you’re gonna go tear up the MOU, which maybe some other people wanna do because of their concerns about the decision-making authority that very clearly in that memorandum of understanding is granted to the combination of the SEC and Big Ten,” said Sankey.

Specifically, Sankey asserted that the role of the SEC and Big Ten is to present format ideas, gauge the overall consensus among conferences, and make an informed decision based on the response.

“We don’t need unanimity, and ultimately if not, there’s a level of authority granted to the Big Ten and SEC together. But there’s a lot to that. It’s not you just show up and pound your fist and something happens,” said Sankey.

While Sankey claimed to be hopeful for a long-term decision regarding scheduling and the playoff format, he added that regular checks on the format’s effectiveness would be likely.

“While you might want to answer it once and for all, I do think there’s an expectation that we’ll at least have look-in opportunities, should the schedule change,” said Sankey.

SEC Media Days will continue through Thursday, July 17 with availabilities from coaches and players of several top SEC schools.