Greg Sankey Issues Bold College Football Playoff Statement

The SEC commissioner believes that there are seven teams that have the resume to be included in the college football playoff.

Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey walks on the field prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Less than 48 hours before the SEC championship between Alabama and Georgia, the commissioner of the SEC issued a bold statement of the state of the College Football Playoff. Greg Sankey reasoned that along with the Texas Longhorns, there are six other programs in the conference that have a resume deserving of a playoff appearance.

"I view that there are seven of our teams at the conclusion of the 12-game season over 14 weeks that merit inclusion in the playoff," Sankey said.

The six other teams included in Sankey's statement are No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 9 Alabama, and No. 14 Vanderbilt. While the SEC commissioner has had bold takes in the past, his statement that seven members of the SEC should make the playoff could be his biggest statement in favor of the conference so far.

Many already know the case for the Longhorns by now. While the program ended the 2025 season with a 9-3 record, Texas still collected three top 10 wins including a win over No. 7 Texas A&M to close the regular season.

The SEC's Standing in the Playoff Right Now

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Josh McCray (2) runs the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma are essential locks to make the final 12 teams regardless of how things shake out on Conference Championship Saturday. Although some have speculated that a loss to Georgia could send the Crimson Tide out of the playoff, most believe Alabama would still make it regardless.

Sankey's argument for the SEC to have more teams in the postseason centers around Texas and Vanderbilt. Despite three wins over top-15 teams, Texas is the only top-15 program with three losses as well. Their midseason loss to the Florida Gators is likely what's currently keeping them out of the playoff.

The commissioner's argument for the Commodores to make the playoff is a little trickier. While Vanderbilt has earned five wins against ranked teams this season, none of them are currently ranked inside the top-25.

If the College Football Playoff committee didn't take into account where teams are currently ranked this late in the season, Vanderbilt would likely be a top-12 team with ranked wins over South Carolina, LSU, Missouri, and Tennessee.

Once again, the committee has run into a problem of transparency. Playoff decisions can shift and change depending on who's voting, leaving fans and programs alike questioning with it truly takes to secure a spot in the postseason.

Even with two top-10 wins, the Longhorns are likely to be left out, highlighting the difficulty of the path to the playoff. As a result, many SEC programs may follow Alabama's lead, adjusting schedules to make sure there are as many guaranteed wins as possible.