Greg Sankey isn't known for mincing words, and the SEC commissioner made that crystal clear this week when he reminded everyone exactly who calls the shots in college football's playoff system.
"Last I knew, the AFCA isn't in charge," Sankey said, delivering a pointed message that resonated far beyond the room at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
The backdrop to this verbal jab is a growing tension between the SEC commissioner and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), led by executive director Craig Bohl. The AFCA recently released a statement throwing its weight behind a 24-team College Football Playoff, along with other controversial positions—including eliminating conference championship games, reducing bye weeks from two to one, and ending the season no later than the second Monday in January.
But for Sankey, it wasn't the content of the AFCA's memo that stung. It was the lack of a simple heads-up.
"It's kind of disappointing. I had seen Craig Bohl a couple weeks ago. I know he has my cellphone number," Sankey explained. "It would have been nice to have had a conversation about the rationale for their statement, and maybe the rationale for some of those decisions. That's a fair leadership expectation."
This isn't just about bruised egos. It's about power. The expansion of the College Football Playoff is the single most consequential decision facing the sport, and the SEC has firmly backed a 16-team model. The AFCA's push for 24 teams puts them at odds with Sankey's vision—and more importantly, with the conference that holds a massive chunk of the leverage.
To be fair, the AFCA isn't alone in its thinking. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, and Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua have all reportedly sided with a 24-team format. But here's the reality check: majority control of CFP matters rests squarely with the SEC and the Big Ten. When the Big Ten floated its own 24-team proposal last year—featuring a mix of at-large bids and conference allocations—Sankey was never a fan.
The math is simple. The SEC and Big Ten hold the cards, and they're not about to let a coaches' association dictate the terms. Sankey's message wasn't just for Bohl. It was for anyone who thinks they can influence the playoff without first earning a seat at the table.
As the debate heats up, one thing is certain: the power brokers of college football are drawing their lines. And Greg Sankey just drew his in permanent ink.