Greg Sankey has been making headlines all week, first for the SEC’s major scheduling overhaul and now for his bold takes on the College Football Playoff. He’s not the only one taking swings at the CFP, but with fans typically supporting the playoff, the SEC Commissioner is catching serious heat online for his comments.
Why Is Greg Sankey Facing Backlash for His CFP Comments?
Just days after Missouri Head Coach Eliah Drinkwitz found himself in the hot seat after criticizing the new CFP format, Sankey is facing a similar wave of criticism. Drinkwitz called the selection process unfair and labeled the committee “an imperfect group,” leading to brutal online backlash from fans.
Now, it’s Sankey’s turn. During an Aug. 21 appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” he took aim at the CFP system, arguing that its core logic is flawed.
“What I think we have to acknowledge is the CFP processes say ‘don’t lose.’ I don’t think that’s healthy for CFB.”
– @SEC Commissioner @GregSankey talking Collge Football Playoff and selection criteria. pic.twitter.com/BrckcsKiYZ
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) August 21, 2025
“What I think we have to acknowledge is the CFP processes say, ‘Don’t lose.’ I don’t think that’s healthy for college football and the ability to take the step and say it’s more than just ‘don’t lose,’ it’s about playing high-quality opponents,” Sankey said.
Much like the reaction to Drinkwitz’s remarks, fans immediately lit up the comment sections, and they did not hold back.
“Word salad from a man that failed his conference’s members,” one user wrote.
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“Aka. Put in all my teams regardless of record,” another added.
Another commenter questioned Sankey’s motives, stating, “Sankey is full of crap. The scheduling was not random in the past. Therefore, I do not trust him now. Do not listen to what he says; look at the results of what he (the SEC) does. UF consistently got the hardest schedules. Nothing ‘random’ about what resulted.”
The criticism continued, with others calling him “a joke” and claiming, “Sankey and those like him won’t rest until they completely gut the sport for an extra nickel.”
What Does the New Nine-Game SEC Schedule Involve?
Sankey’s comments came just after the SEC officially announced it will move to a nine-game conference football schedule starting in the 2026 season. The decision, revealed on Thursday, Aug. 21, was made by the conference’s athletic directors.
This move is designed to improve competitive balance and align with new CFP metrics that emphasize strength of schedule. With the shift, the SEC joins the other Power Four conferences that already play nine conference games, leaving the ACC as the only Power Four conference still playing eight.
Under the new format, each SEC team will play three permanent rivals and rotate through six other opponents each season.
This structure ensures that every program will play all other conference teams at least once every two years, including both a home and away game every four years. Additionally, teams must schedule at least one non-conference game against a Power Four opponent or Notre Dame each season.
While the added game will increase the physical demands on players, a concern for many coaches, the new format helps preserve traditional rivalries and aims to create more balanced schedules. Sankey emphasized that more conference games lead to fairer competition and give fans more opportunities to see marquee matchups.
This scheduling change coincides with the CFP’s introduction of a new “record strength” metric in 2025, which rewards wins over strong teams more than it punishes losses to them. According to Sankey, the league considered this new metric when shaping the schedule.
The SEC is also advocating for a 16-team CFP format with five automatic bids and 11 at-large spots, though Sankey clarified the conference has not taken a stance on the Big Ten’s more aggressive proposals for a 24- or 28-team playoff.
