Greg Sankey updates SEC's scheduling discussions

Many are curious if the SEC will stay with an eight-game conference schedule or bump it up to nine games following the discussions at spring meetings in Destin, Florida. Several coaches and conference decision-makers have already come out for and against a nine-game schedule, and on Wednesday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey gave an update regarding when a final decision could be made.

“We’ll continue the conversation tomorrow with most of our athletics directors and our presidents,” Sankey said. “If we coalesce around a recommendation, we’re prepared to introduce that. As soon as we reach a finish line, I’ll end up announcing, explaining that in a pretty timely manner. Thursday or Friday, you know, sooner the better.”

The addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the conference in 2024 has a strong impact on the proposition of moving to a nine-game schedule. But one extra conference game does mean an additional loss for half of the SEC’s teams, which could become crucial as it relates to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff model starting in 2024.

Having to renegotiate with ESPN about the additional revenue created by more conference games is another factor as well, but Sankey made it clear that all final decisions regarding a new scheduling model do not necessarily have to be made this week.

“If we don’t come to an agreement, a conclusion either on short term or long term — and we have options. We don’t have to solve every one of our scheduling format questions for eternity right now. And remember that really in February, we learned of the ability for Oklahoma and Texas to move earlier. I’ve noted some complexities around that, certainly just walking away from 14 nonconference games, or we can go to nine. So that’s part of the conversation. A lot of healthy dialogue. I tend to think we’ll come to resolution on some key elements in the short term, continue talking long term,” Sankey said.

Over half of the conference’s teams are in favor of sticking with an eight-game schedule in 2024, but several schools have come out in support of a nine-game starting when the Sooners and the Longhorns join the conference. But regardless, Sankey is pleased with how discussions have transpired on the matter and is even considering some other small changes in the scheduling department.

“I will say from my perspective, it’s been the kind of healthy conversation we ought to have as a conference. Lot of different perspectives. No need to raise the volume but continually, you know, ask the right questions and think about how we schedule our football games,” Sankey said. “Also, how we announce the scheduling of our football games. You saw the NFL just three weeks ago, they make it an event. And last year we announced our schedule in mid-September. We’re already making news in football but a lot of pressure to get it out. So we’re trying to reconfigure that.”