Greg Sankey floats idea of flipping Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl after delay of Notre Dame-Georgia

The terrorist attack in New Orleans early Wednesday morning forced the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame to be pushed back from Wednesday night to Thursday afternoon. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey joined The Paul Finebaum Show on Thursday and shared that it could impact next week’s College Football Playoff games, as well.

Sankey has reached out to College Football Playoff officials about the possibility of switching dates for the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl. As things stand, the Orange Bowl is scheduled to be played next Thursday night and the Cotton Bowl is slated to be played next Friday night.

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The winner of Thursday’s Sugar Bowl will play Penn State in the Orange Bowl in Miami.

“Have I raised the issue of that potential change? I have,” Greg Sankey said. “I recognize that’s difficult. I don’t know if it is impossible. I raised that yesterday, and the focus quickly became today’s kickoff, today’s game and we’ll see what happens.” 

Greg Sankey believes it’s worth looking into switching the dates of the games, regardless of who wins the Sugar Bowl. This isn’t a situation where he is simply looking out for an SEC team.

“I think the question you ask is true for both teams. This is not an SEC-related issue. It’s for both teams,” Sankey said.

It seems as though Greg Sankey believes the most fair outcome for all parties is to switch the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl dates so that the winner of the Sugar Bowl will have more time to prepare.

However, he also knows that doing so won’t be easy. There are events, travel plans, etc., that would have to be worked out.

Sankey is still waiting to hear back one way or the other.

“I also know that the communities have dates. They have plans. There are stadium availability issues that can arise,” Greg Sankey said. “What I’ve not heard back from anybody directly after having asked the question is really a yes or no answer to the question I asked.

“And again, the backdrop is there was an unforeseen, unexpected, incredible, horrible tragedy that has altered the game schedule. Sometimes, just like within a game, you have to adapt, you have to adjust. And right now with the schedule set, these teams will have to adjust their preparation based on the schedule that lies ahead.”