Could the SEC stage its own college football playoff? It's all on the table at spring meetings.

[crimsonaudio]

Could the SEC stage its own college football playoff? It's all on the table at spring meetings

With the SEC poised to expand to 16 teams when Oklahoma and Texas join the league in 2025, the way the league plots its future may also reverberate deeply through the future of college football and the entire collegiate landscape.

Sounds dramatic, right? Well, the SEC has delivered plenty of drama in the last calendar year -- on and off the field. And the way the SEC constructs its future will be felt by all leagues, as any SEC scheduling decision must take into consideration what the College Football Playoff will look like. And that's where things get interesting, as no one knows what that will look like after 2025.

One variable that shouldn't be underestimated is that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is still mad about the way the College Football Playoff expansion talks collapsed earlier this year. He's been openly vocal about his displeasure, and that's going to guide league decision making. There's been a general erosion of trust on the collegiate commissioner landscape since the chaotic COVID-19-addled summer of 2020.

 

[Bama9001]

I'd say everyone needs to take a few minutes and read through that article. There's a lot in there to be potentially excited about or be very anxious about. What I don't understand is where all the greed in college football comes from, or why we need it.

I just hope that bruised egos and/or greed don't end up completely destroying this great tradition that is college football.

Hard to believe UGA and ATM have only played once since ATM joined the league.

 

[DawgAlum2054]

SEC expansion will most likely lead to pods and then a 4 team playoff for the SEC championship. Writing is on the wall for this

 

[TideEngineer08]

How much of this is actual, real possibility, and how much of it is bluster attempting to flush out the other leagues?

Sankey wanted that 12 team playoff badly. While it would have been the SEC benefiting the most, all the rest of the leagues were going to benefit as well. Including the G5 leagues. So is all of this talk a means to cause the rest of the leagues to come crawling back to the table? Because I can tell you this is a nuclear bomb scenario to the rest of college football, and frankly, college sports. The only league that would have a prayer of keeping up is the Big Ten. Then there are other stand alone programs such as USC that could be safe (by being added to the Big Ten or SEC). The vast majority of the rest of college football would be shuttered.

Having said all of that, I have no interest in something like an 8 team playoff for the SEC championship. Talk about watered down. How many times has the actual SEC championship game been a total dud? Of course that is because of the division model, and being unable to guarantee that your 2 best teams came from opposite divisions. But if we expand that to 8 teams, you're going to have 5 or 6 teams in this playoff with 3 or more losses.

I'm more interested in what they are going to do with the schedules. It sounds like divisions are over after Oklahoma and Texas come aboard. I favor the 9 game model with 3 protected rival games. But the 1 protected rival and 7 rotating would mean you would still face the whole league at every SEC stadium over the course of 4 seasons.

 

[crimsonaudio]

How much of this is actual, real possibility, and how much of it is bluster attempting to flush out the other leagues?

One way or the other it will happen as, in the idiotic words of $cam Newton, "the money was just too much"...

 

[CrimsonNagus]

SEC expansion will most likely lead to pods and then a 4 team playoff for the SEC championship. Writing is on the wall for this

Now that the NCAA has gotten ride of the division requirement, why do the rumored pod thing? That potentially allows mediocre teams to win their weak pod and sneak in. No pods, no divisions, just take the top 2 teams (or 4 if you must) in the league.

 

[DawgAlum2054]

Now that the NCAA has gotten ride of the division requirement, why do the rumored pod thing? That potentially allows mediocre teams to win their weak pod and sneak in. No pods, no divisions, just take the top 2 teams (or 4 if you must) in the league.

Anytime you can eliminate subjectivity and lean towards objectivity the better. Why are there issues for some with a 4 team playoff currently? The simplest answer is subjectivity.

1) the SEC will eliminate that subjectivity when they crown a champion

2) this may be the most important reason, a 4 game playoff for the conference championship makes money

also let’s not forget that the pods make it where teams don’t go as long without playing cross divisional teams. This also helps eliminate some subjectivity as well as makes money

 

[OSUTideFan]

The Alabama Invitational is one step closer to fruition. Excellent

 

[AngeloToad]

All about $$$.

 

[UntouchableCrew]

I mean, it won't be a real college football playoff for a "National Title" if it's only for one conference. Doesn't matter if it's the best conference in the nation, it just intrinsically cannot be.

That said A) I think it's a negotiating ploy with the other conferences for more influence over the actual playoff and B) I do think a four team SEC playoff is coming -- you're gonna get four "pods/divisions" or maybe just the top four records but with 16 teams you're going to need to expand things a bit unless you plan on playing 12 conference games or something.

 

[B1GTide]

As long as it doesn't keep the SEC out of the CFP

 

[BamaBoySince89]

I’m assuming this playoff is coming along with a 9-game conference schedule???

Besides money, what does this prove?

 

[DawgAlum2054]

I’m assuming this playoff is coming along with a 9-game conference schedule???

Besides money, what does this prove?

im sure on here there are several who think the 2nd best team in the west is better than the best team in the east most years,. this is a way of proving it. it is also a way for more teams to play each other, also proving who is better. there will be less "they had a weak schedule" talk

 

[deliveryman35]

Serious question—I realize they are not members yet, but will Oklahoma and Texas have some kind of representation or allowed any input in the Destin meetings this year? Just curious, as I would think they both have some opinions and preferences on groups, pods, scheduling, etc.

 

[DawgAlum2054]

Serious question—I realize they are not members yet, but will Oklahoma and Texas have some kind of representation or allowed any input in the Destin meetings this year? Just curious, as I would think they both have some opinions and preferences on groups, pods, scheduling, etc.

good question, I would think it would be a no taxation without representation scenario, and i doubt they are currently getting taxed

 

[selmaborntidefan]

good question, I would think it would be a no taxation without representation scenario, and i doubt they are currently getting taxed

“Barzini is dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia. Moe Greene. Stracci. Cuneo. Today I settled all family business so don't tell me that you're innocent.”

 

[CullmanTide]

An SEC playoff is the dumbest idea ever. Idiots are ruining college football.

 

[BearFoot]

The SEC continues to dilute its own product…and the rest of the conferences are more than happy to allow them to do so.
(the diluted product being the result of a much tougher schedule for all member teams than any other conference)

The injuries (major and minor) that occur to every team throughout the season have a cumulative affect. Teams from the SEC beat one another up more so than teams in other conferences do to one another because we’re stronger from top to bottom.

How does an SEC Playoff not make the issue even worse?

Teams such as Clemson, Ohio State, USC, won’t have nearly the problem within their conference schedule as Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, ATM and the others will face…..and then we’re going to add a playoff on top of the wear & tear experienced during the regular season?

Not a fan of the idea at all!!!!!!!!

 

[DawgAlum2054]

The SEC continues to dilute its own product…and the rest of the conferences are more than happy to allow them to do so.
(the diluted product being the result of a much tougher schedule for all member teams than any other conference)

The injuries (major and minor) that occur to every team throughout the season have a cumulative affect. Teams from the SEC beat one another up more so than teams in other conferences do to one another because we’re stronger from top to bottom.

How does an SEC Playoff not make the issue even worse?

Teams such as Clemson, Ohio State, USC, won’t have nearly the problem within their conference schedule as Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, ATM and the others will face…..and then we’re going to add a playoff on top of the wear & tear experienced during the regular season?

Not a fan of the idea at all!!!!!!!!

well it mainly involves money, after that its money, then the third item is also money

 

[CajunCrimson]

The SEC continues to dilute its own product…and the rest of the conferences are more than happy to allow them to do so.
(the diluted product being the result of a much tougher schedule for all member teams than any other conference)

The injuries (major and minor) that occur to every team throughout the season have a cumulative affect. Teams from the SEC beat one another up more so than teams in other conferences do to one another because we’re stronger from top to bottom.

How does an SEC Playoff not make the issue even worse?

Teams such as Clemson, Ohio State, USC, won’t have nearly the problem within their conference schedule as Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, ATM and the others will face…..and then we’re going to add a playoff on top of the wear & tear experienced during the regular season?

Not a fan of the idea at all!!!!!!!!

the last time the SEC “diluted” it’s product (2011) they proceeded to win 7 of the next 11 Titles. (None from the 2 new)

The time before that (1991) when they diluted their product they won 11 of the next 20 titles. (None from the 2 new)

The 20 titles before that, the SEC won 4.

Sometimes you have to “dilute” your product to build a stronger base to take the bigger structure that’s coming