Report: SEC Discussing Intra-Conference Football Playoff

The schools are going over the matter at the upcoming league meetings.

© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

CINCINNATI — SEC leaders are reportedly discussing plans to hold their own conference-only postseason football tournament. ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and the league's athletic directors will discuss the proposal at next week's SEC league meetings in Destin, Florida.

Sankey and the rest of the conference left the unsuccessful College Football Playoff expansion talks very frustrated and that spurred some outside-the-box thinking. The league balloons to 16 teams when Oklahoma and Texas join in 2025.

"We have an incredibly strong league," Florida AD Scott Stricklin said. "One that will be even stronger once Oklahoma and Texas join. The focus should be on how we as a league use that strength to further position the SEC as we face new realities. Commissioner Sankey has encouraged our athletic directors to think creatively, and an SEC-only playoff is a different idea that we should absolutely consider an option."

The rough thinking about the fledgling idea is that the tournament would be eight teams, culminating in an SEC Championship Game around New Year's Day. Where that leaves the other Power conference teams and the FBS as a whole is a mystery.

One thing is certain—the SEC is fed up with inaction surrounding CFP expansion, and they are ready to take matters into their own hands if needed. The current CFP format expires after the 2025 season

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.

You May Also Like:

Look: UC NFL Rookies Pose in New Uniforms at Rookie Premiere

Top 2023 UC Target Amare Snowden Places Bearcats in Top-Six Schools

Bearcats Fall Slightly in Latest Way-Too-Early Top-25 CFB Rankings

Kyle Washington, Tari Eason Named UC's Best Modern Incoming/Outgoing Transfers

Desmond Ridder: 'I'm Going to put my Best Foot Forward' in Atlanta Falcons QB Battle

Bearcats Crack ESPN's List of Top-10 Defenses Over Next Three Years

Bearcats Offer Top-Two 2024 Ohio Prospect

Alec Pierce Inks Contract With Indianapolis Colts

A Closer Look at New Bearcats Defensive End Noah Potter

Watch: Alec Pierce, Jerome Ford, Myjai Sanders Practicing at NFL Rookie Minicamps

The 2022 NFL Schedule: Bearcats Edition

Three-Star 2023 Target Locks Commitment Date; Wes Miller Offers Top-55 2024 Player

Bearcats Peppered Across NFL Rookie of the Year Betting Markets

Ahmad Gardner, Alec Pierce Make List of Top-10 Scheme Fits

Look: Ahmad Gardner Buys Permanent Jersey Number From Jets Teammate

Bearcats Move up in Latest ESPN Recruiting Rankings

Bearcats Offer Four-Star 2023 Center; Bring in 2024 Sharpshooter for a Visit

Watch: Ahmad Gardner Practices With Jets Rookies, Signs Rookie Contract

PFF Lists Coby Bryant as 'Instant-Impact Day Three Rookie'

Ahmad Gardner Signs Contract With New York Jets

Four-Star 2023 Point Guard Trey Green Places UC in Top-Seven Schools

Richard Sherman: Coby Bryant 'Will be a Long-Time Starter' for Seattle Seahawks

Desmond Ridder Named one of the 2022 NFL Draft's Biggest Steals

Five UC Football Players That Could be Drafted in 2023

Ahmad Gardner, Alec Pierce Projected as 'Biggest 2022 Impact Rookies'

Wes Miller: 'Crucial Offseason' Ahead for Jeremiah Davenport, Viktor Lakhin

Report: Outgoing AAC Schools 'Fully Confident' Settlement is Reached With AAC This Month

Three-Star 2023 Quarterback Brady Drogosh Commits to Cincinnati

Ahmad Gardner Headlines Record-Breaking New York Jets Draft Class

Major Analysts Name Desmond Ridder 'Steal of the 2022 NFL Draft'

UC Emerges as a Major Winner From the 2022 NFL Draft

Takeaways From UC's 2022 Spring Game

Bearcats Q&A: A Ball-Handling Discussion With Mika Adams-Woods

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!

Follow All Bearcats on Twitter: @AllBearcats

Like All Bearcats on FaceBook: All Bearcats

Follow All Bearcats on Instagram: @BearcatsTalk