Greg Sankey’s Comments on Georgia’s Exclusion from College Football Playoff Stir ACC.
During SEC Media Days, Greg Sankey made waves by discussing Georgia’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff (CFP) last year, praising how the team handled the disappointment.
“Last year, (Georgia) was one of the four best teams, period,” Sankey said on 1010 XL Radio, according to Sports Illustrated. He continued, “We didn’t stomp our feet, we didn’t, like, fly banners over places. That was one of the four best teams.”
In contrast, Florida State (FSU) reacted strongly when they became the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to be left out of the CFP, with the committee choosing one-loss Alabama as the No. 4 seed over the ACC champions. FSU coach Mike Norvell voiced his anger on December 3rd, saying, “I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games.”
Norvell’s comments sparked significant frustration among FSU fans, fueling debates in college football circles for weeks. Sankey’s recent remarks appeared to take a subtle dig at FSU’s reaction.
However, during an appearance on “The Opening Kickoff”on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile, Sankey clarified his previous comments.“ People act like I was confident I knew something,” Sankey said regarding the CFP selections. “We had actually visited with both the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia about an approach. We really respected the tone they were prepared to share. … We had a statement that was clear that we had a different view, and we were going to move on.”
Sankey has remained consistent in his stance. In January, following Georgia’s exclusion, he shared similar sentiments. “The morning of selection, we had prepared a statement that said we have a different view, but we’re not going to point fingers and cast blame,” he stated. “We’re going to focus on how to improve and prepare for the 12-team playoff. That’s it. … I think three or four times we’ve had the fifth-ranked team. Do I think every decision has been perfect? No, but that’s the authority we allocated.”
Sankey reaffirmed his belief that Georgia was one of the top four teams last year but emphasized the need to move on. “They lost one game in two years,” he said. “In the future, if they’re 9-3 compared to a 10-2 or 11-1 team, the standard’s not 10-2 or 11-1. It’s the best teams.”
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