“We Can Stay at Four,” SEC Commissioner Talks Playoff Expansion

Greg Sankey is well aware of the SEC's history when it comes to the college football playoff.

Speaking at the Associated Press Sports Editors regional meeting Monday afternoon, the commissioner of the conference was asked on his thoughts regarding an expanded playoff, and Sankey responded with a very blunt, albeit accurate answer.

Get our free mobile app

"We can stay at four," he said. "This conference will thrive at four. Period. That's not healthy for the rest of FBS college football, but we can stay at four."

Continuing to confidently talk about his own conference, Sankey further said, "People apparently didn't take me seriously when I said we can leave it at four," the commissioner continued, "So I sat there watching that (Alabama-Georgia) game, thinking they just thought I wasn't serious."

"I don't think people heard me, but I'll say it clearly today. We can stay at four."

Since the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014, the SEC is the only conference in the nation to have a team reach it all eight years, and is also the only conference to have two teams reach the playoff which has happened twice.

Alabama and Georgia originally ignited talks of expansion in 2017 when the teams became the first in conference foes to both make the playoff, but when the pair did it again in 2021, talks quickly turned into proposals for a new playoff format.

While there is no concrete plan for any playoff expansion for at least the next four years, the trend seems to point toward a larger playoff field in the future.

For now, expect the SEC to once again have two teams vying for a playoff spot this season in Alabama and Georgia as both return a lot of marquee players and have proven to be able to recuperate the talent lost to the NFL.