Greg Sankey fires shot at AAC's Mike Aresco over 'Power Five' complaint

The SEC is the king of college football, and commissioner Greg Sankey takes pride in what his conference has accomplished.

The SEC has won the past four national titles, with LSU and Alabama each winning one during that stretch and Georgia winning back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

Sankey said on the Paul Finebaum show on Wednesday that he is well aware of what the SEC brings to college football. He also appeared to take a shot at ACC commissioner Mike Aresco in the process.

“We want to be successful but we also know that we bring a lot to the table. Whether people use different labels — you know, my colleague, Mike Aresco, has been on an almost 3,000-word missive, ‘We shouldn’t use these P5 labels,’” Sankey said. “You know, I’m not the one that labeled my conference P6. I’m not the one who labeled the group in which we’re classified as as a Power Five. I think we’ve tried to make decisions that are right for the Southeastern Conference.”

Sankey’s focus is on the SEC and rightfully so. The league has been outstanding under his leadership and has a chance to continue to separate itself from the pack even more with the money it will bring in with its new TV deal.

There is speculation that the Power 5 could become the Power 2 with the money that the Big Ten and SEC are bringing in. No matter what happens with conference realignment, Greg Sankey has the SEC in a good spot.

Kirk Herbstreit: ‘2024 is where college football is going to do a seismic shift’

There’s a new wave of college football coming. College realignment will have the sport looking more different than ever and before we know it, an expanded CFP will be here. Going from four teams to 12 will be quite the change, causing something ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit called a “seismic shift.”

Herbstreit spoke on the matter at the On3 NIL Elite Series, with some of the best 2024 recruits in the country in attendance. By the time they are walking onto campuses as true freshmen, college football is going to look completely different.

“I think 2024 is when college football is going to do this seismic shift,” Herbstreit said. “We got Texas and Oklahoma going into the SEC. You got USC and UCLA going into the Big Ten and I don’t think that’s done. I think there’s going to be more movement. Wouldn’t be surprised.

“We’re going from four teams to 12 teams in the playoff. I mean, everything is getting ready to just change. And you guys are going to be at the front row for that. That’s so hype. I mean, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”