Greg Sankey opens up on impact of adding Texas, Oklahoma to SEC

Greg Sankey is quite excited to add Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. That’s despite talking about it for so long since the official announcement and the timeline shift to get it done for next year.

For now, “it just means more” to 14 schools and football teams. It’ll be 16 next fall and it’s only going to get better for the SEC, according to Sankey.

Championships are commonplace in the SEC and Sankey full expects to add more championship pedigree with Texas and Oklahoma.

“They’ll be an addition to 14 incredible programs and 14 universities,” Sankey told On3’s J.D. PicKell. “So right now, over the last 25 years, six different SEC football programs have won national championships. I think if you look at the other conferences the most in any other one conference is two. 

“When you add Oklahoma and Texas over the last 25 years, we will have had eight of our 16 members win college football national championships. What that speaks to is the highest level of football competition that stands unique from all other conferences at this level.”

Even post-college, players look back fondly at their memories of their respective schools. Sankey wants to keep it that way when Texas and Oklahoma come to town.

“There’s a rigor, there’s an excitement, there’s an intensity,” Sankey said. “The young people who attend and want to be part of all of that and challenge themselves. And many prepare for their next opportunity athletically to see if they can achieve the NFL, but even NFL players come back and speak about the special experiences on our campuses. That’s why going back to your earlier question, I’d like us to be even more thoughtful about how we manage transfers in the future.”

Texas or Oklahoma will be on everyone’s schedule in 2024. So SEC teams won’t have to wait long to get acquainted with their new neighbors.

LSU running back Josh Williams made some headlines at SEC Media Days, sending a warning out to Texas and Oklahoma. He said neither Red River school really understands what they are getting into by joining the SEC. Williams might be excited about expansion but made his feelings truly known.

Sedrick Van Pran was given a similar question but made sure to “be careful” with his answer. The Georgia center praised both Texas and Oklahoma instead, saying their addition will be good for the SEC. Van Pran is in favor of improving the competition level within the league.

“I want to be careful what I say because in my opinion, I think football is football,” Van Pran said. “Anybody, any given day, like it doesn’t matter conference, size, any of that. If it’s your day, it’s your day.”