Smart hints SEC could leave NCAA if no CFP deal
Key takeaways
- The Georgia coach suggested that if an agreement can't be reached on expansion, spending in the NIL era and beyond, perhaps the SEC should try to go it alone.
- The argument at front and center is whether to expand the College Football Playoff to 16 or 24 teams from the current 12-team model.
- The SEC's frustrations also come from lengthy NCAA investigations and other litigation, as well as concerns over NIL spending.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The Georgia coach suggested that if an agreement can't be reached on expansion, spending in the NIL era and beyond, perhaps the SEC should try to go it alone.
With talks of College Football Playoff expansion at a boiling point, Georgia coach Kirby Smart echoed earlier comments made by Georgia president Jere Morehead that the SEC could look into operating independently outside of the NCAA. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images"I've said this for a long time to our president," Smart said on Tuesday. "I've been a huge advocate that if we can't find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. I'm not afraid of that. I'm not afraid to break away and say that our conference is strong enough to go out and play.
The argument at front and center is whether to expand the College Football Playoff to 16 or 24 teams from the current 12-team model. For a change to occur, the conferences -- most notably the Big Ten and SEC -- must agree on a format. The Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame are all on board for expanding to 24. The SEC is against that model at this time.