SEC commissioner Greg Sankey isn’t letting go of the nine-game dream. On Wednesday, the SEC commissioner again made it clear that his vision for the league’s future includes a nine-game conference slate. The move has long been connected to the larger evolution of college football’s postseason. But behind the scenes, the sport’s two superpowers, the Big Ten and SEC, are unfolding a deeper chess match. While they align on the idea of 16-team playoff expansion, their paths to that finish line—and how they get there—have started to splinter.

Back in May, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported that both the Big Ten and SEC had expressed support for a 16-team College Football Playoff format. Under the proposed structure, each conference would lock in four automatic qualifiers, giving the two biggest leagues half the playoff field. The plan would allocate two automatic spots each to the Big 12 and ACC, one to the highest-ranked Group of Five champion, and three at-large bids. It’s a system designed to protect the new giants while giving just enough scraps to the rest of the table. But it’s not sitting right with everyone, especially the Big Ten, which has started to question the terms of the deal.

That tension has only grown louder. According to Dellenger, “As reported plenty over the last few months—as recently as Monday—the Big Ten is against a 5+11 model, especially if the SEC remains at eight conference games. Its own coaches & administrators have said that publicly.” Translation: the Big Ten isn’t comfortable with the SEC gaming the system by playing fewer league matchups while still reaping the same postseason privileges. It’s not about volume; it’s about equity to them. But is it really unfair?

Turns out, with strength-of-schedule being a major component of playoff seeding and selection, staying at eight conference games would give the SEC an easier runway to stack wins and secure bids, while the Big Ten grinds through nine. That philosophical difference has opened the door to several possibilities. In a Monday interview with Yahoo Sports, Greg Sankey pushed back against the idea that anyone had settled anything yet. “If we don’t act or agree, you’re at 12 with 5+7 (model). If we agree on something different, it could be 14 or 16,” Sankey said. The message? Nothing is locked. The SEC is fine standing pat with 12 teams if necessary, and there’s no guarantee they’ll bend on game count to make everyone else happy. What makes this more complicated is the SEC’s internal math.

Right now, the league still hasn’t officially committed to nine conference games, which would mean adding a rotating opponent and removing one cupcake from the schedule. That’s a financial and competitive decision. More league games mean more TV dollars, yes—but it also means more chances to lose. For programs like Kentucky or Mississippi State, that extra game could be the difference between making a bowl and staying home. For juggernauts like Alabama or Georgia, it could cost seeding or even a playoff berth.

Meanwhile, the 2025 season already follows the 12-team format. That version won’t grant automatic top-four seeds to conference champions anymore, a change that gives even more weight to rankings and résumés. Still, what happens after 2025 is up in the air. Greg Sankey appears open to expansion but only on SEC terms. It is possible the CFP remains at 12 teams and the SEC remains at 8 conference games for 2026. That’s the tug-of-war at play here – branding vs. balance. The SEC doesn’t just want to be head of the table; it wants to keep deciding how big the table is and who sits where.

Greg Sankey calls for “adult conversation” as Playoff clock ticks

Just when we thought the SEC’s scheduling debate might’ve dragged on into another presidential administration, Greg Sankey finally hinted that the end—or at least a decision—may be near. In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN at SEC Media Days, Sankey admitted the league has been stuck in neutral on the nine-game question for decades. “The conference has been discussing a nine-game league schedule since the Clinton administration,” he quipped, but entirely accurate. Now, with playoff expansion looming, the SEC’s scheduling philosophy isn’t just a football problem; it’s a playoff problem.

“I think we should be working towards that,” Sankey said of the nine-game model. “My life doesn’t end if we don’t. There’s this absolutist notion that he’s going to dictate what’s going to happen. I think we should have an adult conversation. We should be able to make a decision. I think nine games would promote great interest through the year, but it would be hard to coach. I’ve had candid conversations with coaches. I’ve told them that.” Translation?

Sankey likes the idea but knows the weight it adds to coaching careers and bowl eligibility. Still, he’s realistic about the deadline. “It seems impossible to untangle the league’s scheduling decision with the playoff debate,” he admitted, before boiling it all down to one major variable: the SEC’s next television deal. That’s the real stopwatch here. And when it comes to format? “It’s an option… It’s still there,” Sankey said of a potential 14-team playoff. This boiled the deadline for any decisions down to the only one that’s on paper: the next TV agreement with ESPN.