During the opening of the SEC Media Days in Atlanta, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey stated:
“Let me be clear – college athletics is not broken, but it is strained.”
This comment came as he emphasized his goal of ensuring the conference is well-positioned amid the evolving landscape of college sports, especially with the upcoming changes in revenue sharing and the College Football Playoff format. Sankey acknowledged the recent settlement that started on July 1, stating it’s a time of significant transition.
Sankey noted:
“In the middle of anything significant, it will get messy. That doesn’t mean you leave… The burden of making a new system work is on commissioners and conference offices, but the responsibility is shared with campus leaders.”
Discussions with university presidents have included potential steps towards a committee involving the Power Four, touching on their future role in college athletics.

On College Football Playoff Expansion

Sankey was positive about the new seeding model being implemented for the 2025 season, which allows the top four teams to bypass the first playoff round. He expressed support for potentially expanding beyond the current 12-team format.
“We think growth beyond 12 can be positive and should be pursued,” Sankey mentioned.

On SEC Scheduling

Sankey did not clarify if the SEC would transition to nine conference games by 2026, a topic of ongoing debate.
“It is true that we play eight conference games, unlike others that play nine. However, last season, all our members faced at least nine challenging opponents,” he asserted, maintaining that the SEC’s scheduling rigor remains unparalleled.
He indicated that decisions regarding the number of conference games for 2026 would need to be made soon, stating, “We have to make decisions (soon), if we’re going to nine games.”