Greg Sankey Pumps Brakes on CFP Expansion

The center of the college football universe is on Florida’s Emerald Coast as Greg Sankey hosts administrators and coaches from all around the league at the SEC Spring Meetings. The conversations officially kick off on Tuesday morning, but before the action began, the SEC Commissioner set the table by speaking with the media on Monday evening.

“I do not anticipate any decisions on the College Football Playoff. Just to make that clear, so we can tamp that down.”

Even though Sankey does not want CFP expansion to define the conversations at the SEC Spring Meetings, it’s all that anyone in college wants to discuss at the moment. The ACC and Big 12 got the ball rolling on a proposal for a 24-team CFP, and Tony Pettiti threw the Big Ten’s support behind it last week. Ultimately, the decision will fall on the shoulders of the SEC and Big Ten. The two commissioners appear to be at odds.

“I was surprised by that since they brought 16 to the table,” the SEC commissioner said Monday night. “When we were meeting last year, all those 16 ideas weren’t ours, and probably some of the outcomes. There’s probably clarity that they have looked at 16, just not much of late. He’d [Tony] have to explain their positioning.

“Our responsibility, I speak to the Southeastern Conference, is to look at a lot of alternatives. … Our responsibility, and we’ll spend some time with our membership on that, is just to kind of look at the spectrum of possibilities and kind of the rationale behind certain alternatives.”

Like many fans, Sankey is concerned about watering down the CFP by doubling its size. There’s one other question: Why? The 12-team CFP has existed for two years. There is a rush by others to make drastic changes, but Sankey is willing to take his time.

“Four to 12 was monumental, I think it was justifiable, and you want to be careful about how far you go,” he said.

As always, you can follow the money. The proposed 24-team CFP would call for eliminating conference championship games, something the SEC is vehemently against. That’s because the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta is an enormous moneymaker for the league.

“We have a contract, so [we’re] pretty committed,” said Sankey.

SEC ADs Want CFP Expansion

While the commissioner tried to tamp down talks of CFP expansion, the administrators he represents want more access. Earlier this month, the AFCA endorsed a plan to eliminate conference championships and expand the CFP to 24 teams. On3’s Brett McMurphy anonymously polled 14 of the 16 SEC athletic directors, and many are in favor of expansion.

24-team playoff: 8 votes
20-team playoff: 1 vote
16-team playoff: 4 votes
12-team playoff: 1 vote

Why? Well, follow the money. College athletic departments are investing more money than ever before in football, and they want a return on investment in the form of a CFP appearance. Vanderbilt went 10-2 a year ago, yet did not make the 12-team field. SEC programs fear that one too many losses in the 9-game league schedule will cost them an opportunity to miss the postseason.

Greg Sankey has been the catalyst behind many changes in the sport. As of now, he’s trying to slow the sport’s roll into more expansion. Will it be enough? We’ll be following closely all week in Destin.