Would an extra conference game be detrimental to Greg Sankey’s ambitions?
With Texas and Oklahoma set to join the SEC after next season, a new schedule format needs to be established. The coaches are meeting in Destin this week to discuss those changes. The choice is between an 8-game schedule with 1 permanent opponent, or a 9-game schedule with 3 permanent opponents.
Greg Sankey doesn’t want to limit his opportunity to get multiple SEC teams into the playoffs every season.
-Ike Jones on the Weekend Tailgate
The current dominant programs in the SEC are Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Alabama. Having that many perennial power-house programs in the conference, in of itself, is a hurdle. Last season, when Alabama did not make the playoff is an example of a talented team having to go through a gauntlet and not being able to make it. If the goal is to have multiple teams make the College Football Playoff, why would you add another hurdle to that equation.
A 9-game schedule, also, will take away a few of the best rivalries in college football annually. The only benefits are the extra revenue and a chance to play someone you don’t normally play. The 8-game format seems like the best option for everyone and has gained support from multiple prominent SEC coaches, including Nick Saban.