SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is considering an All-SEC Playoff after the fall of the CFP expansion

In February the College Football Playoff turned down the expansion of a 12-team playoff instead of the 4-team playoff they have now. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has highly voiced his displeasure about it it, and is now talking about steps to make college football better if the CFP refuses to change.

It’s easy to understand his frustrations. Many fans would prefer a 12-team expanded playoff. Because as everything stands this current CFP has become a bit predictable. Boring at times. Typically the same 2 and 3 teams annually. There are always going to be great teams who deserved to be in the playoffs that aren’t. A lot of what we call some of the best teams in the nation like Ohio State and Clemson don’t have a strong strength of schedule. So their road to the playoffs isn’t as tough as most. Making it quite easy to get there for them in my opinion. Teams that are just as good but have a severely harder strength of schedule who get a couple losses, well they can pretty much kiss their playoff hopes goodbye unless a miracle happens.

Other conferences seemed to vote against the SEC just for spite. With the SEC adding two more big programs in 2025 with Texas and Oklahoma, a 12-team playoff would give the SEC even more teams to send. Call it spite, call it fear but it’s still a bad move for college football. Many teams would of course love the SEC to get mad and bow out of the CFP because that would finally give other conferences a chance. But the fact of the matter is the SEC is nearly unbeatable for a reason.

The Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff was in support of the expansion prior to it’s denial. The Alliance(ACC/Pac-12/Big 10) felt like saying yes to an expansion is only going to make the SEC more powerful. My only issue is they already are. Even with a 4-team playoff they are usually always send two schools and won the last 12 of 16 National Championships. An expansion would give the Pac-12 more opportunities to get to playoffs, which they haven’t been to since 2016. As for Kliavkoff he said no mostly because they would not guarantee the New Year’s Day time slot for the Rose Bowl.

Now Sankey has been in talks about creating an SEC-only playoff. 8-team playoff and four head to head matchups and will crown a winner. Possibly getting other conferences involved and future alliance perhaps? With the Big 10, Big 12 hopefully others. Then the winner of each conference can play each other and crown a champion. I have to say it would definitely be more entertaining than the playoff we are given right now.

Or would this be another power play move for Sankey? To put fear in the CFP. As for the Alliance and other conferences, I’m not sure they would care too much as it would only give them more opportunity for their teams to get into the playoffs. An inner-collegiate post season would be great but it would be even greater if they fixed the issues they already have now. There are many ways to think outside the box, to be innovative, and to make the CFP more exciting. However, many other commissioners in college football believe the 12-team format is coming soon.

It is an idea that would certainly be appealing for television. A great way to make a lot more money in college football. These are all just ideas from the SEC, but it’s definitely one to pay attention to heading into their spring meetings in Destin, Florida next week.