SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has apparently heard enough from Big Ten coaches complaining about how their teams are being treated in the College Football Playoff rankings. And he has a suggestion: schedule some games against SEC teams instead of complaining about them.
Greg Sankey made the comments Monday on The Paul Finebaum Show while responding to criticism from Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and Illinois coach Bret Bielema. Both coaches recently questioned whether SEC teams were receiving preferential treatment in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Greg Sankey Responds To Criticism From Big Ten Coaches
First, Curt Cignetti criticized ESPN’s coverage of the SEC after the first College Football Playoff rankings were released.
“SEC gets a lot of love from ESPN, and all their writers that they don’t technically pay but march to their drum,” Cignetti said.
He also shared a social media post comparing teams’ wins over opponents with winning records. “Facts are stubborn things,” he wrote on X.
Bret Bielema then said on Friday, slightly tongue-in-cheek, that Illinois would be ranked among the top 15 teams in the country if it played in the SEC instead of the Big Ten.
Greg Sankey responded by pointing out to Paul Finebaum that Bielema recently canceled a game against an SEC opponent, referring to Illinois canceling a home-and-home series against Missouri scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
“One of those head coaches canceled a non-conference game with one of our teams,” Sankey said, according to Awful Announcing. “We’re ready to schedule those non-conference games if you’re concerned about us being overrated.”
He added, “Let’s not run to the microphone at a press conference and complain. Let’s find those opportunities. Because they’re there.”
However, Greg Sankey left out one rather important detail: Illinois replaced Missouri on the schedule with Notre Dame. Not exactly how you avoid playing a difficult opponent.
SEC Commissioner Denies Lobbying College Football Playoff Committee
Greg Sankey also pushed back against suggestions that he uses his position to influence the playoff selection committee. He argued that the SEC’s on-field performance speaks for itself.
“I don’t call. I don’t lobby. I’m not out there saying a lot directly,” he said. “Every so often I will have I think a little bit of fun, or maybe I’ve restated what others have said about us. I think the excellence of our football plays out every week.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time Sankey has publicly criticized people involved in college football.
He also called out television announcers for criticizing officials on Paul Finebaum’s show, saying he was disappointed with their commentary. And earlier this year, Sankey even defended the possibility of the SEC breaking away from the NCAA over proposed federal legislation regulating college athletics.