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Greg Sankey addresses possibility of further SEC expansion

Barkley-Truaxby:Barkley Truax•07/17/23•

BarkleyTruax

its-not-the-end-of-the-world-but-the-secs-stopgap-eight-game-2024-schedule-deserves-all-its-flak
After debating various models for more than 18 months, the SEC agreed on a “stop-gap” eight-game (1 permanent rival, seven rotating opponents) schedule in 2024. (Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports)

The Southeastern Conference is set to expand to 16 teams on July 1, 2024 — but will the SEC stop adding to its ranks there?

The conference’s commissioner Greg Sankey revealed his stance on the matter, noting that the additions of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big-12 Conference are his biggest focus regarding conference realignment at the moment.

“I think we are a super conference. … My reference to people wanting to be a part of it really reflects back on the outreach from Oklahoma and Texas,” Sankey said on Monday during SEC Media Days. “I’ve been careful. When I was here in Atlanta last year, I was clear that we’re focused on our growth to 16. … People can criticize me to say, wow, you really sprung it on people in 2021, which we did, and maybe there’s no clean and perfect way to deal with conference membership.”

“It’s not been a topic in the Southeastern Conference other than providing updates, so we’re very attentive to what’s happening around us, whether those are from all of your fine investigative writing or maybe opinions, and then focusing on our growth to 16 because it’s an enormous task.”

With both the Big-12 and Big Ten conferences adding multiple teams each this season, and the SEC making their moves next season — which coincides with the dissolving of the conference’s divisions — who’s to say Sankey wouldn’t consider adding another premier college football program to the SEC once OU and Texas get settled in.

“Do I think it’s done? People will say, well, I get to decide that. Right now it appears others are going to decide that before we have to make any decisions,” Sankey said. “My view is we know who we are. We’re comfortable as a league. We’re focused on our growth to 16.

“We have restored rivalries. We are geographically contiguous with the right kind of philosophical alignment, and we can stay at that level of super conference. When you go bigger, there are a whole other set of factors that have to be considered, and I’m not sure I’ve seen those teased out other than in my mind late at night.”

That means Sankey isn’t not considering the notion, although, it’s definetely not something at the forefront of the commissioner’s mind — especially since the Longhorns and Sooners have yet to join the SEC’s ranks. After that, however, Sankey has made no promises.