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Sark's Latest Thoughts on the Changing SEC Landscape and Its Impact | The Girl Herd

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•05/27/25•

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SEC logo on a first down marker
(The SEC logo, via Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)

Football is changing. Is it hurting fan engagement?

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This episode centers on the evolving landscape of college football, focusing particularly on the College Football Playoff (CFP) seeding changes, Texas’ first year in the SEC, and broader shifts in the sport’s competitiveness and fan experience. The hosts begin by discussing the recent CFP announcement of straight seeding, which eliminates automatic bids and reshuffles how teams qualify. They reflect on how this change would have affected Texas last season, expressing relief that Texas would have secured a top-four seed, avoiding an exhausting extra playoff round. The conversation then explores the complexities of byes—while physically beneficial for player recovery, they may cause rust and mental challenges.

The discussion shifts to the SEC Championship’s significance within the broader realm of college sports, notably contrasting fan attitudes in baseball and football. They analyze commissioner Greg Sankey’s outspoken stance on playoff fairness and frustrations with external criticism, positioning him as an action-driven figure navigating conference politics and league dynamics. Texas’ move into the SEC is framed positively, described as a transition into a league with the best talent and significant financial and competitive benefits.

Further, the hosts note the impact of an intensified schedule—likely a 16-game season—and the resulting absence of undefeated teams, increasing the importance of depth, load management, and long-term strategic planning. The influence of NIL and the transfer portal is acknowledged as transforming player-team relationships, making the college football environment more transactional and professionalized. Despite these changes, the hosts affirm their enduring passion for the “product on the field,” even as fan engagement and team loyalty dynamics face new challenges.

They close by considering Texas’ upcoming matchups, particularly against Ohio State, expressing excitement for the quality of competition but also recognizing that ongoing player turnover limits traditional rivalries and narrative continuity. Overall, the episode presents a nuanced, insider perspective on the past year’s key events and what lies ahead as college football evolves rapidly.

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