SEC coaches anonymously talk conference realignment, College Football Playoff

Since news broke roughly two weeks ago that Texas and Oklahoma were leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, college football has been abuzz with renewed talks of conference realignment. Athlon Sports talked to a handful of coaches around the SEC conference to hear reactions on the Red River invasion.

College Football Playoff implications

With Texas and Oklahoma set to join the SEC, the number of conference games each school plays will change. Currently each institution in the SEC plays eight games. At the very least the number will grow to nine when Texas and Oklahoma officially begin playing in the conference.

Playing another game against a team in the SEC opposed to an FCS or Group of Five school will carry much more weight on a team’s College Football Playoff resume. CFP expansion could still be years away. Talk ramped up earlier this summer when a 12-team playoff was proposed. The plan has taken a backseat with the SEC expanding to 16 teams.

Adding the two schools not only grows the conference, it provides more opportunities for teams to make the playoff in the proposed expansion plan.

“We talked about it briefly as a staff. A lot of us, right away, love the idea. In this league, if you’re playing nine conference games and there’s a[n expanded] playoff, that makes resumes stronger and the game better,” one SEC football staffer told Athlon Sports.

Level of competition in SEC will not change

The addition of the two programs ensures the SEC is leading the next wave of conference realignment. But the level of competition in the conference will not drastically change.

The SEC has produced four national champions in the playoff era and continue to be the premier football conference in college sports. And while the SEC is becoming the first ever mega-conference, winning the conference’s crown isn’t going to get any easier.

“It’s certainly big news because of the logos on those helmets,” one head coach said. “But this is the only league where those guys would have to adjust to the league and not the other way around.”

The real impact will not be felt until Texas and Oklahoma actually join the SEC, though. With at least a full season the additions, coaches are focused on the upcoming season.

“We don’t control schedules anyway, so why should this be any different? Honestly, it’s not something we can do anything about,” one assistant said.

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