SEC Meetings Open Amid Debate Over CFP Expansion and Internal Issues

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — SEC meetings opened at the Hilton SanDestin resort with the future of conference expansion still unsettled.

Commissioner Greg Sankey said the league will not rush any decision even if outside pressure builds from other conferences. He noted that the Big Ten first raised the idea of a 16-team playoff last year.

"I was surprised, because they brought 16 teams to the table last year. All those 16-team ideas, they weren’t ours," Sankey said.

Athletic directors and presidents remain divided on the best path forward. Some see expansion as a way to increase revenue in a conference that already pays nearly twice as much as the ACC. Others are unsure whether a unanimous vote on any specific number of teams is possible.

"It varies, I don’t think we’d have a unanimous vote on the number," Sankey said.

The conference is also weighing a possible public reprimand of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin said in a Vanity Fair interview that some parents were reluctant to send their children to Ole Miss because of past racial issues. Ole Miss officials have pushed for action.

Sankey is not expected to take public steps against Kiffin. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has also drawn attention for recent comments aimed at Ole Miss.

The league faces additional scrutiny from the College Sports Commission over alleged NIL deals in Oxford. Head coach Pete Golding is dealing with those inquiries along with NCAA tampering allegations.

Sankey said existing contracts limit how far the conference can move on expansion or the possible removal of a conference title game.

"We have contracts, so we're pretty committed," he said.