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2d ago

SEC Delays 2026 Football Schedule Vote Over Playoff Expansion Uncertainty

Playoff expansion talks have left SEC officials without enough clarity on automatic bids to set the 2026 conference slate.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel on Oct. 16, 2024.
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Overview

  • SEC spring meetings in Miramar Beach ended without a vote on shifting from eight to nine conference games due to divided support among coaches and athletic directors.
  • Commissioner Greg Sankey has endorsed a nine-game format but holds no vote, leaving the ultimate decision to member institutions.
  • The conference’s 2025 schedule is locked in, giving the SEC room to postpone its 2026 format decision until playoff details emerge.
  • Negotiations on a proposed 16-team College Football Playoff, including automatic bid allocations for power conferences, are slated to conclude by early December.
  • Sankey publicly criticized the Big 12 and ACC for failing to present concrete proposals on playoff structure as the SEC pushes for greater postseason influence.