College football expansion: Where the SEC stands on future realignment

As rumors around the next phase of college football expansion continue to swirl, an update on what's next after Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC

Conference expansion and realignment are once again a major story across college football this offseason, and even if there have been no new announcements, there has been plenty of speculation on who could move next and where, but judging by the comments of the SEC commissioner, that conference is happy where it is now.

The SEC does not plan to add any more member schools in the future after it brings on Texas and Oklahoma in the 2024 football season, SEC chief Greg Sankey said.

"If you grow to a certain level, you're acknowledging you're not going to have the same kind of national platforms, or you're going to vary from the scheduling approach," Sankey said to 247Sports.

Related: SEC football power rankings for 2023 season

In reference to the apparent expansion plans of competitors, ambitions which include the Big 12 hinting that it wants to become a national conference from coast to coast, Sankey said that the SEC is already a national league without having to spread out geographically thanks to its success on the field.

"We don't need to be in four time zones. I don't think being a national conference is time-zone specific," he said. "It's achievement. It's support. It's success. It's interest. If you just grow to a number, that seems an insufficient goal to pursue."

Achievement and success are things the SEC does well, as the conference has won 13 of the last 17 national championships in college football and the last four in a row.

And by adding the likes of Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC was able to expand its footprint by bringing on two of the sport's most recognizable and successful brands.

More: SEC coaches react to Texas, Oklahoma joining

The SEC hasn't been immune from the realignment rumors this offseason, especially after it was revealed that several ACC teams were possibly looking for a way out of their conference, and insiders speculated if the SEC would pursue names like Clemson and Florida State.

But judging by the comments of the league's commissioner, it sounds like the SEC is more than happy where it is right now for the foreseeable future.

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(247)

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