Ever since the SEC announced the addition of the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners to the conference two years ago, the college football world has been speculating about the next wave of teams that could be set to join the conference. But those people could be waiting a long time.
During the SEC’s annual meetings this week, conference commissioner Greg Sankey revealed made it clear that the SEC is not actively pursuing conference expansion at this time.
“It’s not been at the forefront at all,” Sankey said according to On3. “Thinking back to my past expansion moments, nobody wanted to write about the Southland Conference power play in July of 1996 when we added Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana and did not add Centenary or Oral Roberts and UT Pan American at the time, and I never had to think of it again really in that league.”
While expansion talks will undoubtedly continue, Sankey made it clear that it’s not something the SEC is pursuing – the conference is happy with 16 teams.
“And here we had opportunities presented to us, but it’s really not an active thought process, period on the end of the sentence. We are though highly attentive to what’s happening around us,” Sankey said. “Those of you who were in Atlanta heard me say very clearly our focus is on 16 (teams).”
It’s a major announcement from college football’s premier conference, and the college football world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
ACC GOR doesn't expire for a decade and the SEC won't go G5, so yeah. https://t.co/i89Faj4uo8
— Are Sports Important? (@IOnlySayFacts) May 30, 2023
No need to do anything until B1G makes a move or certain ACC teams say they ready to bounce and have a plan to do so…which is why they are highly attentive. https://t.co/q8Sccjz82U
— ChopChat.com (@ChopChat_) May 30, 2023
True. Big Ten, however, https://t.co/CuKlYwdPp7 pic.twitter.com/IfLDWrFp2D
— Big Ten information. College football fan (@Genetics56) May 30, 2023
ESPN will make the decision on SEC expansion, not Greg Sankey. https://t.co/6iCtRpvFHI
— Sean (@stholeary2) May 30, 2023
Just add Pitt and be done with it 😬 https://t.co/24YhFRzIzc
— Chas (@frazmoney93) May 30, 2023
— Elijah (@stoolie_elijah) May 30, 2023
Add UNC and UVA and be done
— Macho Camacho (@MachoHC) May 30, 2023
We may see expansion elsewhere in college football, but Sankey is adamant that the SEC is content where it is.
[On3]
