Who won the realignment battle between SEC and Big Ten? Look South, says Greg Sankey
.JPG "Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey speaks during SEC Media Days, Monday, July 18, 2022, in Atlanta. Person at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)")
The Big Ten made a bold move last month by announcing the additions of USC and UCLA. A year earlier, the Southeastern Conference made a statement by adding Texas and Oklahoma.
Who won the realignment additions?
The SEC, said Greg Sankey.
Not the most unbiased source, the SEC commissioner. But here’s his case ... and it includes a comment on Missouri.
“(Our) two additions actually restore rivalries,” Sankey said. “The Texas-Arkansas game last year was pretty special. Obviously, Texas-Texas A&M. You’ll have Missouri-Oklahoma, that was a quarter of the old Big Eight that are now part of the SEC, and an opportunity for Arkansas and Oklahoma to play regularly.”
Asked about future conference scheduling when the conference grows to 16, Sankey didn’t bite. Coaches discussed the topic at the annual business meeting in the spring when the league studied a division-less set-up. A consulting firm offered 30 different models for a 16-team league.
Sankey said the league must determine how scheduling will impact College Football Playoff access, among other considerations. Regular opponents for Missouri could include Arkansas and the Sooners.
But in the who-got-the-better of realignment question, that was no contest from an SEC perspective.