SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Says Conference Alliance Delayed 12-Team Playoff

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed that the alliance between several leaders of the Power Five conferences delayed the switch from a four-team playoff to a 12-team playoff.

"You had that idea. That opportunity could have been there," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told Yahoo Sports. "But I have colleagues that chose to simply oppose."

In April 2021, leaders from the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 formed a pact built around their educational and athletic missions that was nicknamed "The Alliance."

The leaders reached a verbal agreement to remain on the same page regarding the future of college athletics, holdings news conferences and publishing a press release. However, the formation of "The Alliance" did not last for much longer than a year and eventually collapsed.

This also lengthened the discussions surrounding an expanded College Football Playoff, extending the approval process by about 16 months. If the 12-team model was approved earlier, it would have been implemented following the 2023 regular season instead of 2024.

Sankey also divulged that the leaders were unable to bring up any legitimate issues with the expanded format despite the long debate process.

"I think that it was the inability to actually make the points of concern so they can be addressed that is troubling," he said. "So here we are."

After No. 8 Alabama defeated No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship game, the Crimson Tide still might not qualify for the CFP. With No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Washington winning their respective conference titles to go along with No. 7 Texas winning the Big 12, there may not be enough spots available if No. 4 Florida State remains undefeated by winning the ACC Championship game.

If that scenario were to unfold, it would be the first College Football Playoff without a team from the SEC.