Greg Sankey added fresh chaos to the playoff conversation with a statement that immediately raised eyebrows across college football. The SEC commissioner believes his league is so deep, so competitive, and so superior this season that seven SEC programs should be part of the 12-team playoff field.
His comments came as projections show five SEC teams already trending toward inclusion, but Sankey pushed the argument even further, insisting that Texas and Vanderbilt also belong in the mix.
Sankey pointed to the current rankings, which place seven SEC teams inside the top 14, as proof that the league’s quality stands apart. The system rewards conference champions and the highest-ranked at-large teams, and Sankey used that structure to make his case.
“I actually think we deserve seven,” Sankey said. “I think the seven teams that are in the top 14, half of the top 14 teams are from the SEC. That is an indication that this league is different. The expectations are different. The competition is different and the rewards should respect each of those elements.”
“I actually think we deserve seven [teams] in [the CFP].
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey shares his thoughts on how many teams should make the CFP 👀 pic.twitter.com/wcyo21iqJT
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 6, 2025
In his view, if nearly half of the top 14 teams reside in one conference, the playoff should reflect that balance. His message was clear, the SEC’s path is tougher, its standards higher, and its teams should reap greater postseason opportunity.
The remark introduced a new twist into an already tense postseason picture. The SEC is expected to claim multiple at-large bids every year under the 12-team format, but Sankey’s seven-team push pushes that logic to its extreme.
It reflects the commissioner’s firm stance that depth matters as much as win-loss record, especially when schedules inside the conference feature layered challenges that other leagues may not match.
Greg Sankey Previously Pushed for 7 SEC Teams
Sankey’s stance didn’t emerge out of nowhere. In recent discussions with the media, he revisited the issue while addressing questions about Texas and Vanderbilt, two programs hovering around the playoff bubble.
He explained that as the conference entered November with 16 eligible programs, the rankings quickly began reflecting the league’s depth. Seven SEC teams, in his view, completed the regular season with credentials strong enough to justify at-large inclusion.
“I view that there are seven of our teams at the conclusion of 12-game season over 14 weeks that merit inclusion in the Playoff. We entrust the committee to make those decisions. We make those presentations directly. I think we do a really effective job at sharing the ‘why’ that those seven as it is right now merit inclusion,” he said, as per On3.
He noted that the SEC presents this information directly to the committee, emphasizing the level of competition and the consistency of top-tier opponents across the schedule.
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