SEC Media Days: Playoff Drama

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Day two of the 2025 SEC Media Days featured fireworks from a pair of high-profile head coaches, a clearer picture of the conference’s scheduling future – and no shortage of chatter about the expanded College Football Playoff (CFP) format.

The first day of the annual event featured commentary from fifth-year South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer – and offered a first look at LSU (which opens its upcoming slate against Clemson). Day two showcased coaches and players from Georgia, Tennessee and Texas – three top title contenders in the SEC – as well as Auburn.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart launched day two by discussing the topic of college athletes earning money off their name, image and likeness (NIL), as well as the SEC’s future regarding the CFP.

“We don’t believe in just being transactional,” Smart said. “Because when you’re transactional, you cannot accomplish whatever your ultimate goal is.”

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Smart’s Bulldogs finished 2024 with an 11-3 record and No. 6 national ranking. With the exception of his first year in Athens, every one of Smart’s teams have finished in the Top Ten – including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.

The 49-year-old Montgomery, Alabama native has posted a 105-19 record in nine seasons at Georgia following an eight-year stint as defensive coordinator at Alabama (during which time the Tide won four national championships).

In his remarks, Smart referenced SEC commissioner Greg Sankey – who reiterated the possibility that the CFP could stay at twelve teams if the SEC and the Big Ten are unable to reach an agreement.

“I want the best teams to be able to go in,” Smart said. “I just don’t think it’s fair to say that the loss column is the only column that matters.”

Last season, CFP introduced the 12-team playoff bracket for the 2024-2025 season, expanding from the four-team format. Its results were even more controversial than the previous format.

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“Let’s be honest,” Smart said. “Who are you taking – neutral site – Indiana and Ole Miss? Indiana and Alabama? Indiana and South Carolina?”

Gamecock fans certainly know how they would answer that question…

The latest playoff disagreement stems from the Big Ten favoring a model which rewards conferences with guaranteed spots and play-in games to determine them – whereas SEC coaches prefer a 16-team format that includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and 11 at-large bids (a.k.a. the “5+11 model”).

“The Big Ten has a different view,” Sankey said. “We have a twelve-team playoff, five conference champions. That can stay if we can’t agree.”

Sankey said the SEC will continue to talk about whether to move from eight to nine conference games in 2026, while multiple sources in the Big Ten have said they wouldn’t consider the 5+11 model unless the SEC and the ACC both moved to nine league games.

While the discussion continues, count on FITSNews for ongoing coverage of the upcoming college football season – in which both Palmetto State teams boast Heisman Trophy contenders and legitimate playoff aspirations.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.

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