Greg Sankey reveals when new SEC scheduling format may be released after CFP expansion news
Greg Sankey has never been shy about wanting the College Football Playoff to expand to a 12-team format, and he finally got his wish.
It’s become official that a 12-team format is coming in 2024, and now Sankey can turn his attention to the next order of business — the future of SEC scheduling. Ahead of the SEC Championship Game, Sankey spoke with the media, where he touched on when a new format could be announced.
“We’ll see. We wanted several pieces of information, one of which was what would happen with the College Football Playoff,” stated Sankey. “I think probably, even with you I shared, back in May, June when we were in Destin that we were poised to make a decision but felt there were some important data points. At this point, we would look to the first few months of 2023 as the opportunity to refocus. I learned during that COVID summer of 2020 not to set hard and fast deadlines because we may want some flexibility in setting a specific finish point for our conversation.
“We have a need to move forward though and I would anticipate that, in the general sense, sooner rather than later those decisions will come to conclusion.”
With a 12-team format, who knows how many SEC programs would be able to compete. Heck, last month multiple media personalities were campaigning for three SEC teams to make a four-team Playoff. Anything is on the table now.
Sweet music, that’s what that is to Greg Sankey’s ears. He helped get a win for the conference and the sport with the 12-team Playoff, and time will tell what’s next scheduling wise.
College Football Playoff officially announces expansion to 12 teams in 2024
Alas, a press released hit the public on Thursday morning, featuring a statement from Bill Hancock, regarding the official expansion of the College Football Playoff.
“We’re delighted to be moving forward,” said Hancock, per the College Football Playoff. “When the board expanded the playoff beginning in 2026 and asked the CFP Management Committee to examine the feasibility of starting the new format earlier, the Management Committee went right to work. More teams and more access mean more excitement for fans, alumni, students and student-athletes.
“We appreciate the leaders of the six bowl games and the two future national championship game host cities for their cooperation. Everyone realized that this change is in the best interest of college football and pulled together to make it happen.”
In September, the CFP announced its decision to expand from four teams to 12 by 2026. But after the decision came out, rumors swirled about potential early expansiondepending on whether the CFP could work it out with its contract with ESPN. The initial deal ran through 2025.
A vote to expand before 2026 had to be unanimous, meaning the 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick all had to be in favor of it.
After the committee worked out calendar and revenue distribution, the last hurdle was what to do with the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl committee had the power to halt early CFP expansion because it wanted to keep its 5 p.m. ET time slot on New Year’s Day, but ultimately came to an agreement to allow expansion in 2024 on Nov. 30 following an ultimatum from the CFP.
“On behalf of the Management Committee and the Board of Managers, this is thrilling,” Hancock added, per the release. “It’s been a long process, but we are pleased that more teams and more students will have the opportunity to compete for the national championship beginning in the 2024 season.
“A new era of college football is about to begin. I look forward to it.”
The 11 CFP committee members agreed to expand the playoffs in September, ending the four-team format that has been in place since 2014. Multiple conference commissioners had voiced their support for a 12-team playoff during their respective media days, including Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark.
On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.