Georgia head coach Kirby Smart used Tuesday’s spring meeting to warn that the SEC may need to break away if conference expansion talks stall. He argued that without uniform rules on playoff size and NIL spending, the league should consider operating independently. Smart’s stance echoes growing frustration among SEC leaders over unresolved litigation and funding pressures throughout the college landscape.

The core dispute centers on expanding the College Football Playoff to 16 or 24 teams, a move backed by the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame but opposed by the SEC. University of Georgia president Jere Morehead warned that without federal legislation curbing what he calls “anarchy,” the conference may vote on a separate SEC championship mechanism for future scheduling.

Smart emphasized that his concern lies not with athletes earning money but with schools overspending on NIL deals, which he says creates an unsustainable race to the bottom. He urged the SEC to adopt its own financial rules to stabilize all sports programs. If the league pursues secession, the national championship could revert to a conference‑only showdown for television revenue.