SEC Faces Uncertain Future as College Football Playoff Expands

The 2024-25 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship Game, set for January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, marks the first year of a 12-team playoff format. This expansion comes as the Southeastern Conference (SEC), long dominant in college football, faces challenges in maintaining its supremacy amid shifting dynamics in the sport.

The SEC, which claimed 13 of 17 national titles between 2006 and 2022, has seen its influence wane in recent years. Last season, the Big Ten‘s Michigan Wolverines defeated Washington in the championship game, marking only the second time since 2005 that an SEC team was absent from the title game. This season, the SEC’s hopes rest on Texas, a newcomer to the conference, as it battles in the Cotton Bowl.

College football’s landscape is evolving rapidly, with the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals reshaping roster construction. Michigan’s 2023 title, built with just two five-star recruits, demonstrated that traditional recruiting dominance is no longer the sole path to success. Meanwhile, Ohio State has leveraged NIL deals to retain key players, positioning itself as a favorite for the 2025 championship.

Despite these changes, the SEC remains a talent powerhouse. Six of the top nine teams in 247Sports‘ Talent Composite rankings are from the SEC, and the conference signed eight of the top 15 recruiting classes in 2024. However, the Big Ten has adapted more effectively to the new era, with Ohio State and Michigan leading the charge.

“Talent wins out,” said a senior college football analyst. “But the SEC’s ability to adapt to the new realities of roster management will determine its future success.”

As the CFP expands, the SEC’s traditional dominance faces its greatest test. With Georgia and Alabama still atop the talent rankings, the conference remains well-positioned to reclaim its throne. However, the rise of the Big Ten and the changing dynamics of college football suggest that the road ahead will be anything but easy.