College football expansion: SEC got calls from other schools amid realignment

Texas and Oklahoma weren't the only schools calling the SEC during the recent phase of college football realignment

The SEC added Texas and Oklahoma during the recent college football realignment push, but they weren't the only schools reaching out to the conference, Greg Sankey noted at Media Days. / Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

College football conference expansion and realignment is still a subject of conversation after the historic moves that took place over the last year-plus and become official this season.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey confirmed that his conference is not pursuing any expansion right now, but that during the recent realignment rush, it wasn't just Texas and Oklahoma that were reaching out to him. Other schools were also interested.

"I'm not a recruiter," Sankey said. "My job is to make sure we meet the standard of excellence that we have for ourselves on a daily basis. That attracts interest.

"It's done that with the two universities we have added this year. They're not the only phone calls I've ever had, but I'm not involved in recruitment," he added.

Sankey continued: “Our presidents have been clear that I am not going to entangle us in litigation around expansion. So I pay attention, but I’m not engaged in those conversations.”

But as Florida State and Clemson remain entangled in their own litigation against the ACC, speculation has swirled that the schools would entertain membership in the SEC, provided they can get to a settlement in their cases and actually make a move.

Then, amid the SEC Media Days ahead of the 2024 football season, more rumors emerged that SEC members actually would not prefer to add Florida State to the conference in the future.

Sources at SEC schools told Action Network that they are not interested in adding the school even if it were to break away from the ACC, with someone claiming FSU is "not a good partner."

Opinion in the Big 12 might be more open, as commissioner Brett Yormark reiterated his trademark line that the conference is "open for business," and there's no "time to press pause" on expansion if a viable candidate were to come forward.

Related: Big 12 in play for FSU, Clemson?

Back in 2016, the ACC amended its grant of rights agreement, extending its relationship with ESPN through 2036, the year through which schools are tied to the conference.

Since then, other realignment moves have radically transformed the marketplace, and the ACC has fallen a reported $30 million per year behind the SEC and Big Ten after their expansions.

But given the logistical issues that may come with adding more members, combined with an apparent lack of desire on the part of some SEC decision makers when it comes to Florida State, it doesn't appear the Southeastern Conference is a likely destination for the school right now.

That is, if Florida State can even get out of the ACC at some point in the future. And we're a long way from knowing if that's even possible.

Until then, the SEC is more than happy to have Texas and Oklahoma in its membership, bringing the conference to 16 schools going forward.

"Sixteen is our today, and 16 is our tomorrow," Sankey said.

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