SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday during the SEC Media Days that expansion of the College Football Playoff is not a done deal, and that the format could just remain at 12 if he and other commissioners cannot agree on an expanded format. In doing so, Sankey has left the Big Ten and his counterpart in the conference, Tony Petitti, hanging in the wind.
There is, of course, no agreement yet. The Big Ten needed the SEC to help push for the 4-4-2-2-1 format that would allow for four teams from each of the biggest, most powerful conferences. The B1G and SEC would each be guaranteed four teams. This format could enable teams like Nebraska football to qualify for the playoffs as early as 2026.
College Football Playoff expansion stalls as SEC’s Greg Sankey balks at 4-4-2-2-1 plan
"We have a 12-team Playoff, five conference champions. That could stay if we can't agree," Sankey said. "I think there's this notion that there has to be this magic moment and something has to happen with expansion." That almost has to be a surprise to the Big Ten.
Petitti likely thought he and Sankey were on the same page. That the two most powerful commissioners in the sport would simply demand that everyone else bow to their whim. That approach has worked well for the last few seasons.
There have been some signs that the unification expected between the two conferences is breaking down. Petitti's push for the SEC to expand to 9 conference games this summer might have been enough for Sankey to decide the partnership was all but over.
"We don't need unanimity. And ultimately, if (there isn't unanimity), there's a level of authority granted to the SEC and the Big Ten together," Sankey said. "But there's a lot to that. It's not you just show up, you pound your fist and something happens. I hope that type of narrative can be reduced. But we'll keep talking. We talk a lot. Probably too much sometimes."
All of this is good news for the sport of college football. Even if it means that Nebraska football doesn't get that extra chance to get into the playoffs. Allowing Big Ten teams to make the playoffs simply because they're in the Big Ten was always weak sauce. However, it will be interesting to see how Petitti reacts to Sankey allowing the bottom to drop out below him in such a public way.