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When the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2026 season were unveiled, the SEC's dominance was evident: five of the top 10 teams and 10 of the 25 ranked squads hailed from the 16-team conference. In contrast, the 18-team Big Ten managed only six teams in the top 25.
That disparity drew criticism from several Big Ten coaches, including Bret Bielema, Kirk Ferentz, and Curt Cignetti, who voiced concerns that ESPN and the CFP selection committee were showing favoritism toward the SEC.
On Monday's Paul Finebaum Show, host Paul Finebaum asked SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey about the conference's perceived influence on the rankings. Sankey's response was direct: if there's an issue, why not address it head-on?
Sankey's Challenge to the Big Ten
Sankey pointed out that all conferences follow the same process for submitting information to the CFP committee. "I don't call, I don't lobby," he stated. He then revealed that one Big Ten head coach had canceled a non-conference game against an SEC opponent. "So what I would say is, hey, we're ready to schedule those non-conference games if you're concerned about us being overrated," Sankey explained.
He continued, "There's a full regular season. We're pretty flexible in how we approach non-conference games. We have those at the beginning of the season, at the end of the season. Let's go. Let's not run to a microphone in a press conference and complain."
Sankey elaborated on his stance: "I don't call. I don't lobby. Let's find those opportunities because they're there. And, like I said, we just had one of those canceled. And I particularly like that coach. He coached in our league, and we'll probably smile at some point. I don't know where that comes from either."
He reiterated that the SEC's on-field excellence speaks for itself. "We all have a common process for reporting information to the College Football Playoff selection committee. I don't call. I don't lobby. I'm not out there saying a lot directly. Every so often I've had—I think a little bit of fun—or maybe I've restated what others have said about us. I think the excellence in our football plays out every week. And one of the concerns, rightly so, is we put so much rigor on ourselves, is that negatively affects us in the postseason."
Sankey concluded by issuing another challenge: "For those that are concerned we're overrated, let's go play games."
With the CFP expanding next season, even more teams will have the opportunity to voice complaints about favoritism. For now, Sankey's message is clear: the SEC is ready to settle the debate on the field.
Originally reported by yahoo.