Eli Drinkwitz addresses conference championship games ending with Playoff expansion
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Eli Drinkwitz is hoping to get Mizzou to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
In 2027, of course, things change in a big way when the Playoff field doubles to 24 teams. The knock-on effect will be the elimination of conference championship games, meaning that for the SEC, an early-December tradition in Atlanta for over three decades will come to an end.
Naturally, during his Tuesday press conference, the Mizzou head coach was asked about it, saying that he wonders if conferences themselves could become a thing of the past.
“Times are changing, so you’ve got to adjust with the times. But my question is why are we associated with conferences anymore if we’re not playing for a conference championship?” Eli Drinkwitz said. “If the point now is just to be playing into a sea of 24, are we just doing it for scheduling affiliation? If we’re just doing it for scheduling affiliation, is there a reason to be flying all the way across the country to play games from a national perspective?”
Could there be a world where conferences don’t exist? That remains to be seen. But with the usual talk about conferences potentially expanding, Drinkwitz’s perspective is certainly unique.
Mizzou visits Georgia on Saturday afternoon, a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff from Sanford Stadium.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
