Samwise College Football Newsletter
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
SEC Media Days Kicks Off in Tampa With Six New Head Coaches, Sankey State-of-Conference Address
SEC Media Days kicked off Monday in Tampa — the city’s first time hosting the annual preseason showcase. Commissioner Greg Sankey addressed reporters before four schools took the podium: Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Sankey’s state-of-the-conference remarks touched on the nine-game conference schedule, the ongoing evolution of NIL, transfer portal management, and the league’s three-year drought without a national champion. The 2026 SEC enters the season with six new head coaches — the most significant coaching turnover in recent memory — making this year’s media days unusually consequential for fans trying to gauge where the conference power structure stands heading into fall.
Sources: Saturday Down South Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Heupel on Tennessee’s QB Battle: Ball Security Will Decide Between Brandon and MacIntyre
Tennessee didn’t send either of its quarterbacks to SEC Media Days, and that tells you something. Head coach Josh Heupel confirmed Monday that true freshman Faizon Brandon and returning sophomore George MacIntyre will compete for the starting job when fall camp begins — no timeline, no leaning. Heupel explained what he’s looking for: complete command of the offense, avoiding catastrophic turnovers, and the ability to manage protections and check plays. The Volunteers have relied on ball-security under his tenure with Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava. On a lighter note, Heupel joked that Knoxville stores may need to restock mustard and golf balls before former Vol Lane Kiffin’s return with LSU.
Sources: Saturday Down South Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Venables Arrives at SEC Media Days With Renewed Confidence After Oklahoma Makes CFP
Brent Venables arrived at SEC Media Days in Tampa on Monday projecting the most confidence of his Oklahoma tenure — and with reason. The Sooners made the College Football Playoff last season and enter 2026 with a new athletic director who’s aligned with Venables’ vision. The catch? Oklahoma’s schedule opens with trips to Michigan and Georgia before hosting Texas in a brutal three-game stretch. Venables didn’t flinch. He told reporters that navigating the gauntlet early — rather than peaking at the wrong time — will only sharpen his team. After four SEC seasons that ranged from rocky to resurgent, the Sooners look positioned to compete at the conference’s highest level.
Sources: Saturday Down South CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Senate Floor Vote Nearing on Bill to Cap Power Four Conferences at 19 Teams
A proposed federal bill that would cap Power Four conferences at 19 member institutions is moving closer to a Senate floor vote, according to reporting Monday. The Protect College Sports Act, which cleared the Senate Commerce Committee 19-9 earlier this year, has drawn support from 24 conferences and 267 schools — but faces significant opposition from the Big Ten and SEC, both of which have resisted any legislative ceiling on conference size. Proponents argue the cap would preserve competitive balance; critics say it restricts the market for schools seeking conference realignment. A vote on the Senate floor is expected before the end of the month.
Sources: CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Drinkwitz Backs CFP Expansion but Draws the Line at Committees: ‘A Bad Idea’
Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz put himself in the pro-expansion camp at SEC Media Days Monday — just not in favor of who makes the decisions. “I am for expanded opportunities for schools in the playoffs,” he said. “You have 138 Division I-playing schools. We have to have more opportunities for access.” The caveat? “Committees are a bad idea.” CFP expansion remains stalled, with the SEC and Big Ten unable to agree on format — the SEC prefers a 5+11 model, the Big Ten wants 24 teams. For now, the 12-team format proceeds in 2026, with a January 25 championship game in Las Vegas.
Sources: Saturday Down South Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
2026 Early Preseason Rankings
Off-Season — Official Preseason AP Poll Releases Late August
1. Ohio State (defending national champion)
2. Miami (2025 national runner-up)
3–25. Formal rankings to follow late August
SEC Media Days 2026 — Tampa
July 20–23 — First Time Hosted in Tampa
Day 1 (Jul 20): Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee
Day 2 (Jul 21): Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU & others
6 new head coaches entering 2026 SEC season
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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