SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey defends the conference\u2019s stance against playing conference games on Fridays, but did so in a way that was a clear shot at some of his biggest rivals.<\/p>\n
Sankey was speaking with reporters Monday at the APSE\u2019s annual Southeast Region meeting, and the topic of mid-week and Friday night games came up. The commish offered up the SEC\u2019s stance as an example of how money doesn\u2019t motivate every decision they make, though he seemed to heavily imply that\u2019s not the case for everyone else.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor everybody that thinks we just grab money, we could grab money just by putting games on different nights of the week,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n
\nGreg Sankey on the SEC\u2019s stance against playing football on Friday: \u201cFor everybody that thinks we just grab money, we could grab money just by putting games on different nights of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) May 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Of course, the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC all play Friday night games, with the Friday night primetime slot being a cornerstone of Fox\u2019s Big 12\/Big Ten coverage. Not only do they all play Friday night games, but they also very often schedule games on Thursdays, giving some of their programs a little extra shine instead of being sandwiched amid a sea of college football games each Saturday.<\/p>\n
The SEC, of course, doesn\u2019t feel the need to expand its scheduling needs beyond Saturdays. They have effectively dominated the days for years, especially now with so many of their games on ABC and ESPN.<\/p>\n
Fox Sports\u2019 Tim Brando came to the Big 12 and Big Ten\u2019s rescue, responding to Sankey\u2019s comments by saying that his network\u2019s Friday night schedule<\/a> gets a ton of eyeballs on teams and has been roundly considered a success.<\/p>\n
\nOnce again the @SEC<\/a> Commissioner with a holier than thou comment that means ZERO in the grand scheme of daily CFB decision making. Chase gets a quiet to run with and the PR job is done. Just another way for Sankey to make it appear his League is above everyone else. A swing and a\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/5FMwDFnN1e<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Tim Brando (@TimBrando) May 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cTo suggest that you\u2019re above that \u2018money grab\u2019 is a condescending bureaucratic statement that was a shot across the bow at our announcement,\u201d added Brando.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s true that Friday night college football is having a moment<\/a>, but it\u2019s also worth noting that major programs like Ohio State and Michigan have been adamant about not playing<\/a> on Friday nights, so it\u2019s not as though everyone else is on board.<\/p>\n
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