Another big change is on the board for the College Football Playoffs. At the Regions Tradition Pro-Am, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey dropped some points that were discussed last week. One thing that stood out was how the top of the bracket is about to get even more powerful. 

“It’s interesting next year the opportunity for the one seed to pick its path,” Greg Sankey told Paul Finebaum. “The location of its quarterfinal bowl and the location of its semifinal bowl, and then the two seed to have a quarterfinal bowl option and obviously placed in the semifinal bowl. So we talked about those logistical issues, really good TV success, really good attendance success last year, and how do we continue to build. Those are the real key topics.”

So now, top seeds aren’t just earning byes anymore but they’re picking their battlefield which gives them a major advantage. Before this shift, geography dictated destiny. Teams were slotted into bowls based on location, conference ties, and a mix of logistics. You could go 13-0 and still end up playing effectively a road game. But now, that’s changing.

Under the new format, the No. 1 seed gets control as they decide both their quarterfinal and semifinal locations. The No. 2 seed isn’t far behind, with its own level of influence. Take last season’s example. Indiana (13-0) and Ohio State (12-1) sat at the top and held their terms. The Hoosiers landed in the Rose Bowl while the Buckeyes played in the Cotton Bowl. 

The advantages are obvious and significant. They get travel control. Shorter trips mean fresher players and louder crowds with fan dominance. Familiarity also plays a factor here as some programs understand certain bowls better than others. That edge is now getting sharper. 

This coming postseason schedule already sets the stage. In the CFP Quarterfinals, Fiesta Bowl will be played on Dec. 30 while Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Rose Bowl will all be played on January 1. The CFP Semifinals feature Orange Bowl on January 14 and Sugar Bowl on January 15. Now imagine the No. 1 seed looking at that list and taking their pick. Of course, all of this is happening while the key decision is still under discussion. 

Greg Sankey made his stance clear on how many teams he wants in the CFP. The SEC has been consistent as 16 teams feels like the next step. Meanwhile, other conferences are eyeing a 24-team field, a move that could reshape the regular season and potentially eliminate conference title games. And he heard the chatter about the SEC Championship.

“We have contracts and opinions are expressed,” he said in last week’s meeting about the potential elimination of the championship game. “But we have contracts that are dealt with. So we have a championship game.”

But as Greg Sankey told Paul Finebaum on Wednesday, the actual decision date for the playoff format is December 1. But if the playoff format is still a negotiation, the conference pride debate is already in full swing.

Greg Sankey is making a case for the SEC amid Big Ten competition 

While the SEC is tweaking formats, the Big Ten has been stacking trophies with three straight national titles starting with Michigan, followed by Ohio State, and currently reigned by Indiana. Still, Greg Sankey is making a case for his conference. 

“You go back to the end of the Fiesta Bowl  – the ball is in the air, a legitimate pass in the end zone,” he said on Sirius XM radio. “I was standing right there. I was a pretty good grab. … I’m not complaining. That’s how close the margins are. You go back to Michigan and Alabama in the Rose Bowl, two and a half years ago. Overtime game.”

What he’s trying to say is that the Big Ten success comes not from blowout dominance but by inches. 

“You go back to Notre Dame and Georgia, or Texas and Ohio State in the prior year’s playoffs,” he added. “Those games flipped on one or two plays. You go back to the Peach Bowl when Ohio State misses a field goal as the ball drops in Times Square. We win that one. Are we that much worse? I don’t think so. We had the ball bounce the wrong way.”

That last line sounds simple, but it carries weight because in college football, perception matters as much as results. 2026 is already lining up to test that perception head-on. On September 12, Texas hosts Ohio State, Oklahoma gets Michigan, and Mississippi State travels to Minnesota. You don’t need to ask who Greg Sankey will be backing. But while everyone debates who’s better, he’s  making sure his teams are better positioned.