“Notre Dame, BYU, or Miami?”
That’s the question likely to dominate the next 24 hours as we wait to see which teams are selected for the 2026 College Football Playoff.
However, if you ask SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, the real question should be, just how many SEC teams can we fit in this thing, anyway?
Appearing on the SEC Network on Saturday before the SEC Championship Game, the SEC boss argued that because seven of the top 14 teams in the latest CFP rankings are from the SEC (Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Texas), they should all be included in the playoff.
“I actually think we deserve seven [teams] in [the CFP],” said Sankey. “This league is different. The expectations are different. The competition is different. And the rewards should respect each of those elements.”
Obviously, Sankey is politicking for his league here. And there’s simply no way that’s going to happen. The three-loss Longhorns are on the outside looking in, and Vanderbilt’s schedule doesn’t match up with Notre Dame, Miami, or BYU.
Sankey will just have to be happy with a likely five-team selection, which will serve the SEC just fine.
Of course, the commish might get his wish one day. The league has been pushing hard for playoff expansion and revised systems that favor the SEC and Big Ten over the rest of the conferences.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.