Paul Finebaum weighs in on Greg Sankey's struggle to gain support for SEC 9-game football schedule

The spotlight is on Destin, Fla., this week as the SEC spring meetings get underway and — hopefully — a decision comes on the league’s new scheduling model. An eight-game and a nine-game schedule have both come up as possibilities, and although Greg Sankey hasn’t publicly stated a preference, speculation is he could lean toward the nine-game slate.

However, the fact that the conversation has gone on this long could mean Sankey is having trouble gaining support for the move, according to SEC Network host Paul Finebaum.

“Cole, that’s exactly how I see it,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “I landed in Destin yesterday. Again, you’re talking to people … you’re not hearing specifics, but you’re hearing impressions and that’s the impression.”

Finebaum also addressed the twists and turns of the schedule debate Tuesday morning as coaches and athletic directors prepare to meet in Florida. What seemed like a foregone conclusion — a nine-game conference schedule with three permanent opponents starting in 2024 — is no longer the case.

That’s why the discussion will be one to watch.

“I’m surprised that we are now here on the first day of the spring meetings and this conversation is unresolved in relation to where we thought we would be. But it does seem to be the reality,” Finebaum said. “Exactly what has happened? I’m not certain. The speculation seems to be there could not be an appropriate accommodation to pay for those games that would allow the league to feel it was worth moving toward nine games.

“But if you had asked me a year ago would we have nine games in the final two days of May in 2023, I would’ve said yes. I would’ve put everything on it, and I think you guys probably would have, as well.”

Greg Sankey to On3’s Ivan Maisel: ‘We have a history of coming together, making decisions and moving forward’

Sankey spoke with On3’s Ivan Maisel ahead of the spring meetings and addressed the decision-making process. He pointed to how the league has made decisions during his eight-year tenure as commissioner, whether they’re unanimous decisions or a simple majority. For the schedule model, Sankey has said the league will vote via simple majority and he won’t break a potential 7-7 tie.

“We have a history of coming together, making decisions (whether unanimous or not) and moving forward,” Sankey told Maisel. “It does seem somewhat different than what others have experienced of late, but we have to work to bring people together and continue our healthy collaboration.”

Sankey previously said the new scheduling model “could be” decided this week, but he pointed out the multiple factors in play with the decision. Not only are Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC a year earlier than planned, but the College Football Playoff is also expanding early. All of that, Sankey said, plays a role in the conversation.

That said, the goal remains the same: Keep the SEC on top of college athletics.

“The league at the forefront of college athletics does not stand still. And this is the league at the forefront of college athletics,” Sankey said, via The Athletic’s Seth Emerson. “Now whether change happens immediately is part of the careful consideration. And a deep consideration.”