True to his form, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey boasted Monday that nobody outside of his conference would trade its own conference schedule in favor of an eight-game SEC schedule.
Sankey’s biased, but is he wrong?
Well, he’s exaggerating – a bit, at least.
“I don’t believe there’s anyone looking to swap their conference schedule and its opponents with the opponents played by SEC conference teams in our conference schedule,” Sankey claimed in televised remarks on the first day of his conference’s media days.
Wisconsin might like a word. So, too, might Rutgers. Each received a brutal nine-game Big Ten draw.
Upon close examination of conference schedules, I don’t buy that no one would trade its conference schedule in favor of an SEC schedule.
Sankey is entitled to tout the SEC’s overall strength and that of its conference schedule. SEC teams consistently produce lofty strength-of-schedule metrics. The conference remains collectively stout, even as the Big Team’s cream became as sweet or sweeter as any league’s top end the past couple of seasons.
Sankey neglected to mention, though, that the SEC’s eight-game conference schedule – the Big Ten and Big 12 play nine conference games – allows its members to play more cupcake opponents than any other conference. He also overstated the number of SEC teams playing 10 games against Power Four competition.
And, he’s exaggerating when he says nobody would trade its conference schedule in favor of an SEC schedule. Most teams wouldn’t trade. A few likely would trade schedules this season.
Let’s review some of Sankey’s claims Monday in his state of the conference address:
Sankey: “In the SEC, we play eight conference games while some others play nine conference games. Never been a secret.”
Fact-check: This is accurate. The SEC and ACC play eight conference games and require their members to play a power-conference opponent in the non-conference schedule. Notre Dame and the two remaining Pac-12 teams count toward that non-conference requirement.
The Big Ten and Big 12 play nine conference games. Their members are not required to play a non-conference opponent from a power conference.
Most, but not all, Big Ten and Big 12 teams play at least one non-conference game against a Power Four non-conference opponent.
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Sankey: “We’re going to continue to evaluate whether increasing the number of conference football games is appropriate for us. As I’ve said repeatedly, understanding how the (College Football Playoff) will evaluate strength of schedule and even strength of record is critically important in our decision-making.”
Fact-check: This is accurate. Sankey would prefer that the SEC add a ninth conference game, but his membership has resisted that so far. The SEC has not decided on its conference schedule for 2026 and beyond, so the possibility of increasing to nine games remains an option.
It’s fair to say the undecided nature of the playoff format for 2026 affects the SEC’s schedule debate.
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Sankey: “Last season, all 16 members of the Southeastern Conference played at least nine games against what you would label power opponents. We had several that played 10 of their 12 games against power opponents. Some conferences have that, some don’t. The same will be true this year.”
Fact check: Let’s unpack Sankey’s assertion that “several” SEC teams played 10 power opponents last season and will do so again this year. While several satisfies the definition of three or more, just three of the 16 SEC teams played at least 10 Power Four opponents during the 2024 regular season. Florida played 11 Power Four opponents. Georgia and LSU played 10.
This season, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina are the only SEC teams that will play 10 Power Four opponents. The rest will play nine Power Four opponents, except for Mississippi, which plays eight SEC opponents, plus Washington State from the Pac-12.
Most teams from the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 will play at least 10 games against Power Four competition. A handful of ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 teams only play nine Power Four opponents. Baylor and TCU from the Big 12 will play 11 games against Power Four competition.
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Sankey: “I don’t believe there’s anyone looking to swap their conference schedule and its opponents with the opponents played by SEC Conference teams in our conference schedule, be it eight or nine” conference games.
Fact-check: This opinion seems exaggerated. Wisconsin will play seven of its nine Big Ten games against teams that finished 8-5 or better last season. In October, the Badgers will play Michigan (road), Iowa, Ohio State and Oregon (road) in successive weeks.
Including a non-conference game at Alabama, Wisconsin will play at least five, and maybe six, teams expected to be ranked in the US LBM preseason Top 25 coaches poll. The Badgers will play three games against teams that made the playoff last season within a gantlet that ranks among the nation’s toughest schedules.
Comparatively, Missouri’s eight-game SEC schedule includes only three teams that won at least eight games last season and no teams that made the playoff. Tennessee and Auburn also drew favorable conference schedules, as compared to Wisconsin’s.
Rutgers’ Big Ten schedule includes a home game against Oregon and road games against Illinois, Ohio State and Penn State, all of which are expected to be preseason top-15 teams. The Scarlet Knights could be better off trading for an SEC schedule.
A small queue of teams likely would trade their conference schedule in favor of an eight-game SEC draw, with Wisconsin standing at the head of the line.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
