Bob Bowlsby and Jack Swarbrick got played so bad by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.

Sometimes something so ruthless and so cold-blood occurs you almost admire the person who pulled it off. SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky got one over the rest country by landing Oklahoma and Texas that not single person outside who he want to know had a clue. Do I hate what he did? Yep, but you sure do have to respect it.

Who did he get over the worst? Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick.

Sankey was part a 4 person playoff sub-committee that included Bowlsby, Swarbrick, and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson. With Group of 5 access to the playoff, Thompson got his job done. He’s good, but the other two not so much.

While meeting to discuss to expand the playoff, Sankey was working behind the scenes for the last 6 months to pull the Big 12’s two biggest brands Texas and Oklahoma. It’s doesn’t get anymore ruthless than that. Shaking hands and meeting with Bowlsby, all the while secretly destroying his conference while staring him straight in the face.

Sankey getting over Swarbrick wasn’t quite as obvious, but no less cold-blooded. With the playoff announcement, it appeared to give Notre Dame more access to the playoff than they previously had – 6 at large spots vs 4 they had now. Of course the Irish had less of a path than a Power 5 champion but it was the price to pay for Notre Dame’s independence.

It didn’t work out that way for Notre Dame. With Oklahoma and Texas added to the SEC, and revenue distributed for the playoff per conference do you see a scenario where the super conference SEC isn’t getting anywhere from 2-5 at large bids every year? That’s leaves Notre Dame with 1-4 spots they can play for. That doesn’t sound like more playoff access, that sounds like less.

Then Swarbrick goes present it to the ACC at the ACC Media days.

Sankey basically said here’s a proposal that benefits the SEC more than any conference or Notre Dame, and had Swarbrick go talk about it… Ouch.

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