College Fooball Playoffs: SEC Commish, Members Not Quite On Same Message

You'd hate to presume, but I do believe we've stumbled upon a favorite strategy of SEC commissioner Mike Slive's. Back during conference realignment, Slive swore the SEC was perfectly content with 12 and then with 13 teams, even while many of his coaches and administrators publicly insisted the league would soon jump to 14.

Now, regarding the latest swell of attention for a playoff*, specifically the creation of a four-team deal, Slive said Wednesday that we should all slow down just a second.

"What would it look like and whether it's actually going to happen, all of that is premature,'' Slive said. "I think we need the time to sit down and analyze it. We need time to take ideas back to our respective conferences and ... a decision to be made sometime later this year as we begin to talk about the ... next format.''

Moments later, University of Georgia president Michael Adams said, "My best guess is we’re going to end up with either a four- or eight-team playoff by the time we get to 2014." So just come right out and say it, sir.

* An item Slive was among the first conference commissioners to express support for.

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