Greg Sankey Talks CFP Committee's 'Challenges' Ahead of 10-Game SEC Schedule

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the College Football Playoff committee faces a "number of challenges" in determining playoff teams given the varying schedules among conferences in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sankey does not believe there will be a minimum number of games required for a team to make the playoff.

"We're going to trust them with that," he told reporters Wednesday of the committee.

The SEC is set to play a 10-game conference schedule and eliminated all of its nonconference games. The Big 12 and ACC are playing 11 games—10 conference and one nonconference. The Big Ten is set for just an eight-game conference slate.

Sankey says he believes the playoff committee will favor teams that play more games based on their previously established points of emphasis.

"It suggests to me the more games that are played, the better one is under this selection criteria," Sankey said.

The Big 12 began playing a conference championship game again in 2017 in part because it did not want to lose ground to other Power Five conferences, all of which have title games.

It's hard to imagine an undefeated Big Ten champion doesn't make the playoff, but the conference probably does not have a margin for error if it wants representation this season.