Greg Sankey acknowledges reality that SEC could leave NCAA

College football has found itself at a major crossroads as conference realignment, the introduction of NIL, the loosening of restrictions around the transfer portal, and a seemingly ever-expanding playoff continue to leave the sport unrecognizable from where it was just several years ago. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, whose leadership has seen the conference become one of the preeminent powers in college sports, has found himself at a crossroads of his own.

As Congress searches for a broad legislative solution for some reform and guardrails on the current landscape, the Big Ten and SEC have remained apprehensive about agreeing to anything that will threaten their Power-2 duopoly. Despite an openness from some within the conference, such as Georgia coach Kirby Smart, to break off from the NCAA if a solution the SEC is happy with can’t be found, Sankey has remained hesitant to take such drastic action.

However, at the 2026 SEC Football Media Days in Tampa, FL, on Monday, he acknowledged that it remains a very real direction the conference could go in.

“They’re real,” Sankey said of talks the SEC’s decision-makers have had about taking the conference independent. “People have talked about that. They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different.

“I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that’s just honest communication.”

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on if there have been talks about the conference breaking away from the NCAA if national legislation can’t get passed:

“They’re real. People have talked about that.” pic.twitter.com/yLSXq4OAak

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Sankey pointed toward the SEC already imposing regulations and standards on its members that other conferences aren’t upholding.

“We have regulated ourselves more aggressively than other colleagues by choice. Across our league. We’ve had different academic eligibility restrictions in the past. So, we’ve had different transfer restrictions in the past. So, some of what you hear comes out of a culture that we can regulate ourselves.”

Still, the longtime commissioner does value the pageantry of participating in a national body.

“I also know the pride with which I spoke of 13 national championships, and there is meaning and value, and I do think a national expectation that we, we participate in a national organization. But that national organization must function in a healthy manner. Otherwise, that simmering will continue.”