In our 2022 magazine, managing editor Greg Tepper compared Greg Sankey to Alexander the Great after the SEC acquired college football bluebloods Texas and Oklahoma.
“Perhaps SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer,” he wrote.
Allow me to make a different comparison - the economist Milton Friedman. His Friedman doctrine states that a corporate executive’s only job is to make as much money as possible for the owners while following society’s basic rules.
Sankey’s only loyalty is to the SEC and its member schools, just as Tony Petitti’s loyalty is to Big Ten schools. That’s their job. The problem is that there are no more rules in college football society. It’s the Wild West of unlimited transfers and NIL payments. The NCAA can’t regulate anything; it’s too busy fighting antitrust lawsuits because it stuck its head in the sand for decades on student-athlete employment and compensation. And in this chaos, Sankey sees a ladder to greater profits for his shareholders.
Sankey was part of a working group that proposed the 12-team Playoff in June 2021. One month later, Texas and Oklahoma accepted invitations to join the SEC. In December 2022, the Playoff officially expanded to 12 teams beginning in 2024, two years before the original four-team contract expired.
But now the Big Ten and SEC are bloated with the best teams. So, before the 12-team Playoff debuted, a 14-team model was proposed for 2026 in which the SEC and Big Ten each got three automatic qualifiers. Since the SEC and Big Ten are guaranteed the most participants, they should rake in 58% of the revenue distribution while the eight other conferences and Notre Dame scavenge for the rest.
Sankey isn’t Alexander the Great because Alexander couldn’t create new worlds to conquer like Sankey can. He forms new landscapes that require solutions that can only be solved in his favor because the profits are endless when Rockefeller has no Roosevelt hovering over him.
College football lost an industry titan of its own when Nick Saban retired after a 17-year reign at Alabama (12–2, 8–0). His final act ended with his ninth SEC Championship and sixth College Football Playoff berth at the school. Kalen DeBoer isn’t afraid of stepping into a great man’s shoes. He’s lost nine games in nine years as a head coach, including stints at NAIA Sioux Falls, Fresno State and Washington. But there’s more pressure protecting the mecca that Bear Bryant and Saban built. DeBoer’s two Washington teams finished in the top two nationally in passing yards per game. He’ll lean on quarterback Jalen Milroe (Katy Tompkins) to bridge Saban’s tenure to his.
Saban’s legacy lives on in his many former assistants leading SEC teams. None have seen more success than Kirby Smart at Georgia (13–1, 8–0). Saban’s former defensive coordinator threatened to dethrone him, posting a 42–3 record and two national championships over the past three seasons. But the master got the last laugh over the student in last year’s SEC title, a 27-24 win that spoiled Georgia’s CFP hopes.
Now, there’s a power vacuum in the conference. Smart may have the roster to seize it. Preseason Heisman contender Carson Beck is back after leading the Bulldogs to 40.1 points per game in 2023. Georgia separates itself in the trenches. All-conference offensive linemen Tate Ratledge and Xavier Truss return, as do all-conference defensive linemen Mykel Williams and Nazir Stackhouse.
Steve Sarkisian brought Texas (12–2, 8–1) back to championship contention just in time for the SEC move by revamping the lines of scrimmage. The Longhorns couldn’t hold an actual spring game during his first season because there weren’t enough offensive linemen. Sarkisian signed 12 in the ensuing two recruiting cycles. Texas returns four starters from its Big 12 Championship team on the offensive line.
And for those positions where Texas loses production, the Transfer Portal provides a patch. Quinn Ewers lost his top five receivers to the NFL. Now, he has five-star Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond, Oregon State’s leading receiver Silas Bolden and Houston’s all-conference selection Matthew Golden to throw to.
But Ole Miss (11–2, 6–2) takes the SEC’s Transfer Portal title belt. The Rebels finished with the most wins in school history despite a defense that ranked 10th in the conference in total defense. Lane Kiffin bolstered the defensive line with Texas A&M five-star Walter Nolen and all-conference Ole Miss edge rusher Princely Umanmielan (Manor). Those weren’t the only dynamic players Kiffin convinced to switch conference teams. Former South Carolina wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. gives incumbent quarterback Jaxson Dart a game-breaking wide receiver to pair with tight end Caden Prieskorn.
LSU (10–3, 6–2) is another team that won double-digit games with a shoddy defense. A Heisman quarterback and All-American wide receiver helped mask some issues. Since they’re gone, Brian Kelly overhauled his defensive staff to find balance. Ten of 11 starters are back on that side of the ball; some, like Harold Perkins (Cy-Park), will shift positions. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker wants to see the former All-American at inside linebacker, where he projects to the NFL.
Baker’s one of the nation’s fastest-rising coaches after leading the Missouri (11–2, 6–2) defense. His former boss, Eliah Drinkwitz, coached himself off the hot seat with a win against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Reaching another New Year’s Six game will be an uphill battle. The defense lost its leader in Baker and three defensive backs. On offense, 1,600-yard rusher Cody Schrader is gone. The good news for Drinkwitz is that the passing game is in good hands with returning receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr (Allen).
Tennessee (9–4, 4–4) also plans to throw the rock behind sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s $8 million arm. Iamaleava was among the first quarterbacks to sign a jaw-dropping NIL deal out of high school. Volunteer fans expect that investment to pay dividends after watching him cruise through the Citrus Bowl.
Speaking of highly touted quarterbacks, Jackson Arnold takes over the starting role at Oklahoma (10–3, 7–2) for its SEC debut. The former five-star from Denton Guyer showed guts in the Alamo Bowl. He’ll need it playing behind an offensive line with all new starters. While the offense is resetting, Brent Venables’ defense returns all-conference linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman Jr (Denton Ryan).
Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC in a package deal to preserve the Red River Rivalry. The Sooners won the final Big 12 installment, just as they’d dominated the conference for a decade. Stutsman and Venables donned shirts that read “Oklahoma Only Fears God, Texas Fears Oklahoma.” But Texas enters the league with more momentum after a CFP berth.
While the Oklahoma rivalry is reserved, the Texas A&M (7–6, 4–4) rivalry is renewed. The Aggies saw their former Big 12 foes moving in and decided that the $76 million rent was due to dismiss Jimbo Fisher and shift out of neutral. Mike Elko, who established A&M’s Wrecking Crew defense as coordinator in 2018-21, makes a triumphant return to College Station. But he brings a bevy of new faces. Over 40 players, including last year’s Big Ten sack leader Nic Scourton, arrive via the portal. Elko’s putting the offense in coordinator Collin Klein’s hands. The Kansas State legend built a top-25 offense at his alma mater the previous two seasons.
Kentucky (7–6, 3–5) head coach Mark Stoops, not Elko, was supposed to be Texas A&M’s head coach until the university’s Board of Regents vetoed the hire. Stoops’s 73–65 career record in Lexington wasn’t sexy enough for the A&M brass, but it tops Kentucky’s all-time wins record. He rebounded from rejection to sign former five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff in the Transfer Portal from Georgia.
The Wildcats open conference play against South Carolina (5–7, 3–5). The Gamecocks’ 2024 schedule is tougher than the rooster’s sunrise wake-up call. South Carolina’s three October games are against Ole Miss, at Alabama and at Oklahoma.
On the other hand, Auburn (6–7, 3–5) gets to lounge around the house. The Tigers don’t leave Jordan-Hare Stadium until Week Six. Auburn will ride running back Jarquez Hunter in head coach Hugh Freeze’s up-tempo attack. Last season was Freeze’s second losing campaign in 11 years, and he’ll have some leash to get the program back on track.
That’s not the case at Florida (5–7, 3–5) and Arkansas (4–8, 1–7), where Billy Napier and Sam Pittman are squarely on the hot seat. Napier’s tenure has been derailed by a Florida defense that’s ranked 10th in the conference in his first two seasons. Meanwhile, Arkansas’s offense fell to second-to-last in the conference. New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino gets a second chance to save a head coach's job after spending last season at Texas A&M. Still, the Razorbacks’ headliner is First Team All-SEC defensive end Landon Jackson (Pleasant Grove).
Vanderbilt (2–10, 0–8) and Mississippi State (5–7, 1–7) bring up the SEC’s caboose. Clark Lea’s Commodores are 2–24 in conference play over the past three seasons, surrendering 36.2 points per game. Former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby inherits a total rebuild in Starkville.
Predictions
1. Georgia Bulldogs – Georgia has the conference’s new top coach, a veteran quarterback and elite trench play. Week 7 at Texas has game of the year potential.
2. Texas Longhorns – It took a decade-plus, but the Texas giant awoke just in time for its SEC move. A CFP berth is now tougher to attain.
3. Missouri Tigers – So this is what happens when you start landing five-star recruits? Missouri seeks back-to-back ten win seasons for the third time in program history.
4. Ole Miss Rebels – Lane Kiffin has the top transfer class and Twitter game in the conference. But can the hype vault them to the top record?
5. Alabama Crimson Tide – The King is gone, and so are three all-conference defensive backs and a potential NFL first-round linebacker. Alabama is vulnerable.
6. LSU Tigers – After a roller coaster of a 10-win season, Brian Kelly has revamped his coaching staff for a smoother ride.
7. Tennessee Volunteers – After a roller coaster of a 10-win season, Brian Kelly has revamped his coaching staff for a smoother ride.
8. Oklahoma Sooners – The transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley was seamless. Not so much with Brent Venables, although the jury’s still out.
9. Texas A&M Aggies – There are so many storylines in Aggieland. The offensive scheme under Collin Klein, a new-look defensive line and over 40 transfers.
10. Kentucky Wildcats – Brock Vandagriff should feel comfortable throwing to wide receiver Barion Brown in a pocket protected by Eli Cox.
11. South Carolina Gamecocks – Shane Beamer’s team took a step back in Year Three. Seven of the eight top tacklers do return, headlined by linebacker Debo Williams.
12. Auburn Tigers – Jarquez Hunter is a bell cow, but the passing game needs a shot of adrenaline. No receiver compiled over 400 yards in 2023.
13. Florida Gators – Billy Napier needs a winning record to keep his job. Does he insert five-star quarterback DJ Lagway at the first sign of trouble?
14. Arkansas Razorbacks – Lewisville alum and Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green will have the top eight receivers from last season back.
15. Vanderbilt Commodores – Vanderbilt hasn’t had a winning season since James Franklin roamed the sidelines in 2013. The streak will continue this year.
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs – Jeff Lebby’s offense will have a little Texas twist with Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen and UTEP transfer wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi.
Texas Ties
S Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma (Denton Ryan)
The state champion from Denton Ryan has lived up to the hype at Oklahoma, starting 29 games over three seasons.
DE Landon Jackson, Arkansas (Pleasant Grove)
The 6-foot-7 edge from Pleasant Grove is the Razorbacks' defensive leader with 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2023.
WR Theo Wease Jr., Missouri (Allen)
Wease, a former five-star from Allen, has found a pivotal role opposite Luther Burden III in Missouri. He had 682 yards last season.
QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama (Katy Tompkins)
Milroe blossomed into a team captain and Second Team All-SEC selection in his first year starting, leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff.
LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU (Cy-Park)
Perkins has earned all-conference accolades his first two seasons in the Bayou. He's the focal point of an overhauled LSU defense.
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