SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey kicked off SEC Football Media Days in Tampa. In his State of the SEC address, Sankey echoed official statements from the conference and many member schools that support the effort behind the Protect College Sports Act but say it needs changes. He says his top priority is that the legislation is enforceable.
“If Congress establishes national rules, individuals and organizations who comply with those rules should not be subject to litigation simply for following the law,” Sankey noted.
SEC teams will play their first nine-game conference schedule this year, the most ever in a single season. Sankey says the conference is the best in the nation with the toughest schedule, but the College Football Playoff Committee has not pledged to reward that extra challenge.
“The fact that our head coaches are here tells me they’re embracing the challenge. I’m actually one who believes competitors want great challenges, and I’m unapologetic about that reality,” Sankey said.
With the expanded College Football Playoff, the importance and scheduling of conference championships have been called into question. While Sankey pointed out the SEC has been the only conference to hold a championship game before, he says the future of the game beyond this year is not set in stone.
“We have contracts and plans in place well beyond that, but we have time for consideration. One of the factors for us is what will happen with that College Football Playoff?” Sankey asked.
Sankey also said there have been real conversations about the SEC breaking away from the NCAA due to frustrations with the governing body.
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