The SEC and Big Ten have made stunning moves over the past five years to dramatically mold college football into their preferred image. 
What they can’t do is control the human condition on the College Football Playoff selection committee.
And that may just lead to more stunning moves from the SEC to change the sport forever.
Because the day the runner-up of the SEC isn’t selected to the CFP, is the day the SEC walks out of the entire process.
A selection process the SEC was promised would change, where strength of schedule and big wins, and to a lesser extent, close losses in big games, would be the high-value entry point. 
Three weeks into the latest iteration of the CFP poll, it’s clear those promises haven’t been kept. 
“That simply didn’t happen,” said Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz. 
You want a nightmare scenario for the SEC, and the rest of college football, by proxy? Here it is: 
No. 10 Alabama beats Auburn, advances to the SEC championship game, loses to either No. 3 Texas A&M or No. 4 Georgia (which it already beat this season, in Athens), and drops out of the 12-team CFP.
Behind Notre Dame, which lost to Texas A&M at home. Behind Miami, which won’t even have played in its conference championship game — much less, the ACC championship game.
The 16 SEC presidents would get on the horn to commissioner Greg Sankey, and the fallout would be catastrophic for the future of college football. 
A scenario like that — which isn’t that far from unfolding — would force the SEC into fight or flight, to take its ball and go home with its television partner (ESPN) that runs the sport, and start an SEC-only playoff.
It’s not like they haven’t threatened to do so before. In fact, Sankey defiantly said not long ago that it wasn’t a threat.
In other words, we’ll do it.   
Look, the SEC has played a role in the sport’s dramatic change, and must take its fair share of blame for some of the chaos playing out on and off the field. Expansion, contraction, player empowerment and free player movement with unbridled NIL free agency. They must own it. 
But the most popular and competitive conference in all of college sports has yet to truly flex its muscle. It still hasn’t played the final, undeniably devastating card it holds.
Sankey hasn’t said as much, and won’t when asked. He’ll do what he should, and say we’ll let the committee do its work and hope they use the new metrics they were given to begin the season. 
You know, the proper response — so it doesn’t look like he’s trying to influence the committee. But that hammer is waiting to fall.
Because after the SEC was told the new metrics would be used, the league in August moved to a nine-game conference schedule. Because the Big Ten and Big 12 were already there, and the ACC was moving there, too ― and the SEC opted to put everyone on the same level of play.
Even though they clearly aren’t. 
But the SEC acquiesced, and they moved forward believing the Big Ten would then return the favor by agreeing to a 5+11 model (five automatic qualifiers, 11 at-large) for the 16-team format beginning in 2026. Only the Big Ten hasn’t.
In fact, we’re mere days from ESPN’s deadline of Dec. 1 to change the format for 2026 and beyond, and the Big Ten is still pitching outrageous ideas. One, a 24-team playoff. 
So what exactly is the SEC supposed to do?
Roll into 2026 with a nine-game conference schedule, intentionally making it more difficult to reach the CFP? Do so knowing the CFP hasn’t used the metrics they were given, and preventing the SEC from absorbing more playoff-changing losses?
And do so knowing they will never, ever change the human condition ― because no one in the history of the planet has. 
“I was the first one to say in our meetings going to nine games made no sense,” said Kentucky coach Mark Stoops. “Everyone outside of our league, of course they wanted us to. But it made no sense for us to do so.”
Now the SEC is staring at another paradigm moment in the evolution of the sport, just a couple weeks from announcing the week-by-week 2026 schedule that includes nine conference games. 
For now, anyway. 
Because if the nightmare scenario of the SEC runner-up missing the CFP unfolds, all options are on the table. 
Including the SEC taking their ball and going home.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him at @MattHayesCFB. 

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Calen Bullock forced three turnovers for Houston, giving them 19 overall this season – only Chicago (22) have more
NFL 2025 season: Week 12
BBC coverage: Live text commentary of Sunday's games on the BBC Sport website and app (from 17:30 GMT). Also live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds of Philadelphia Eagles v Dallas Cowboys (from 21:00 GMT).
The Houston Texans' defence gave Josh Allen a torrid time as they claimed a 23-19 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Texans sacked last season's Most Valuable Player eight times – the most the Bills quarterback has endured in a single game – and claimed two interceptions.
Both were by Houston safety Calen Bullock, who also forced a fumble, with his second interception at the death ensuring the hosts held on for victory after leading 20-16 at half-time.
Former Super Bowl favourites Buffalo have a record of seven wins and four defeats, after losing four of their past seven games, while Houston are now 6-5.
Although their starting quarterback CJ Stroud missed a fourth game following a concussion, back-up Davis Mills led the Texans to a third straight win, giving them a winning record for the first time this season.
Bills running back James Cook had a game-high 116 rushing yards, opening the scoring with a 45-yard touchdown.
The two sides exchanged field goals before Mills found Christian Kirk for a two-yard touchdown, and Bullock intercepted Allen with the Texans' Ka'imi Fairbairn kicking another field goal from the resulting possession.
Ray Davis returned the kick-off for a 97-yard touchdown to help the Bills into a 16-13 lead, but the Texans hit straight back with Mills making an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins five seconds before the end of the first half.
Bullock knocked the ball out of Khalil Shakir's grasp and the Texans recovered it, with Fairbairn kicking a third field goal at the end of the third quarter.
And although the Bills cut the deficit with a field goal and got in position to score a game-winning touchdown with 24 seconds left, Allen was picked off by Bullock for his ninth interception of the season and fifth in three games.
Houston finished with 12 quarterback hits and Allen will face an in-form Pittsburgh Steelers defence next week.
"I don't like that stat at all," said Buffalo's head coach Sean McDermott. "It's not a good way to keep our quarterback healthy for the rest of the season. We've got to play better."
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