Pat Dooley’s High Five (May 5th)

The plan is that Greg Sankey, the commissioner of the conference that Just Means More, is going to walk out of a meeting in Destin at the end of the month with the new schedule plan for 2024’s SEC football season.

We’ll see how it goes.

Everyone I talk to says the in-fighting continues with some teams wanting the stay at an eight-game conference season because they want to have a better shot at a bowl game.

To be a fly on that wall …

We’ll see what happens, but the High Five wanted to give you five possible scenarios. And then duck.

1. They do what everyone expects

Because it is the idea that makes the most sense. It’s better for the fans, better for TV, better for revenue. The nine-game season combined with a 12-team playoff isn’t scaring any playoff-hopeful teams away. They already have the format set, they just have to agree on it and some schools are not happy with the permanent opponents. Which is kind of shortsighted.

2. They stay with eight

The SEC is going to get hammered in the media if it stays with the current format. It really makes no sense unless you are, say, Vanderbilt or Missouri and you want to schedule the best route to six wins.

3. They throw us a curveball

Maybe they come back with a 10-game season. Naw, that doesn’t solve the problem for the have-nots. Maybe they insist that everyone play a neutral site game so you don’t have an imbalance of home and away games. I’m told there is a third option that will be discussed.

4. They leave us twisting in the wind

Look, they don’t have to have an answer. They schedule a 10-game COVID season in about a week. It’s not ideal, but it could mean there is one more of these meetings to figure it out.

5. It comes down to a competition

The 16 athletic directors (yes, Oklahoma and Texas will be there but not voting) have a chicken wing eating contest. Or a jet ski race in the Gulf of Mexico. Or a fishing contest. No matter what, the final vote will be announced as unanimous.