BREAKING SEC Going to 9 Conference Games

[selmaborntidefan]

Time to drop big OOC games.

I suspect they're going to drop themselves.

The onward march of all of this has basically aligned as a North (B1G) vs South (SEC) football war that is likely to eliminate a lot of the lower rung teams that can't compete. In other words, we're not gonna have to worry about games with Florida State - because they won't be playing any longer.

We may finish this game of fratricide with 16 teams, 8 north/8 south, and play what amounts to round robin (7 games) in conference, 3 out of conference, and the top four teams making the playoffs.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

lots of scheduled OOC games will be getting canceled. many teams have 4 OOC games scheduled for the next couple of years

 

[Valley View]

I like the big games, but it's just another opportunity for a three putt.

 

[bamajas]

lots of scheduled OOC games will be getting canceled. many teams have 4 OOC games scheduled for the next couple of years

Irony that what the B1G/talking heads wanted to see out of the SEC for "fairness" sake, and yet it's going to cost the lower G5 and FCS teams some significant cash and publicity

 

[Rocky Mtn Bob]

"One interested party that was hoping to see the SEC add that ninth game is the Big Ten."

Because the B1G has only 3 teams of any consequence. They'd love to see the SEC beat-up even more on each other.

Nobody will convince me the SEC's #12 team wouldn't be the B1G's #5 (or better) team.

 

[bamajas]

maybe but the P4 requirement may force the Big Ten and eventually CFP’s hand to require that as well

Big Ten did a lot of yapping so now the ball is in their court

Yup, and doesn't go into effect until after another CFP. If they don't see any real change in their philosophy, can adjust

 

[smith5753]

It may not be possible, but nobody should end up with both Kentucky and Vanderbilt as permanent games.

 

[Rocky Mtn Bob]

Not complete but initial thoughts…


Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Miss State
Arkansas - Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma
Auburn - Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi
Florida - Georgia, LSU, Kentucky
Georgia - Florida, Auburn, South Carolina
Kentucky - Tennessee, Florida, Vanderbilt
LSU - Mississippi, Florida, Texas A&M
Mississippi - Miss State, Auburn
Miss State - Mississippi, Alabama
Missouri - Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas A&M
Oklahoma - Texas, Missouri, Arkansas
South Carolina - Georgia
Tennessee - Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky
Texas - Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkansas
Texas A&M - Texas, LSU, Missouri
Vanderbilt - Tennessee, Kentucky

This makes my brain hurt, so I'm not going to try to "fix" your matchups. But I will say yours appears to setup Auburn and Florida for some pain.

 

[PattheCatinSaudi]

I believe that adding a 9th game means more money from ESPN. It’s always about the do re mi.

 

[Power Eye]

As always. He is the worst Commissioner in football.

Add to that his contempt for Alabama. Bama's 3 permanents will probably be AU, UTe and LSU. Next year Alabama will likely have to play Georgia, Florida, Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, UTe, OM, Missouri, AU - 7 of them with open dates. And LSU will cry about Alabama getting to play OM and Missouri and AU.

Texas will play Alabama, UK, Vandy, MSU, USCe, Ark, OU, A&M, Missouri - only Vandy with an open date and Texas will whine about it. Texas' permanent opponents will be Vandy, MSU and UK. Some will say "what about OU and A&M" and Sankey and Texas will sing together, "we need to get familiar with the traditional SEC programs".

UTe's permanents will likely be Alabama, Vandy and UK. UTe will probably cry, "we have to play Alabama every year, the least you can do is give us Vandy and UK'.

OU will get Alabama's schedule with Alabama substituted for OU. How dare OU have a better tradition than UTw.

Carry on Commissioner, negotiate another deal for the SEC. Put the SEC on one platform, get less money than the B10 who doesn't have the audience or the fervor the SEC does. But let the dumb B10 outsmart you for the 43rd straight time.

The SEC will likely get 2 teams per year in the playoff, begging for the privilege of a third which they might get every 3rd year. The 2 that get in will be at half-strength.

I'm sure the B10 is bent over in laughter at their friendly hayseeds from the South. They are on the road to 6 entrants to the playoffs annually. Most of the 6 fresh as a daisy.

2025 is probably the last year the SEC has a chance at the NC. Hope they take advantage.

I know that it could appear that we caved, but I don't think that's what happened at all. The SEC going to nine games was a plan the conference had, regardless of the Big 10's saber rattling, but was contingent on two things; 1) more money from ESPN, and 2) changes to the CFP selection process to take into account strength of schedule. The conference got both. If anything, I think this solidifies its position as the premier conference in college football.

What I don't want to see is an expansion of the CFP to the Big 10's proposed 24 or 28 team format, or the SEC and Big 10 having the same number of guaranteed teams getting in the field. Assuming the strength of record metric is impactful as I think it will be, then the SEC will get its fair share of teams in, but the Big 10 probably won't, at least not with the scheduling approach they are currently using.

I don't know what this does to our future OOC schedule given that we have two power 4 teams scheduled for the foreseeable future, though there really isn't a season we have two perennial powers scheduled in the same year. The only real downside to this, as has been pointed out by many, is the smaller schools will suffer. Unfortunately, they are collateral damage to a sport that is evolving constantly and it's not the power 4's responsibility to save them.

 

[colbysullivan]

Guys, they’re not taking away the Bama-LSU game. We will have the toughest annual opponents.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Guys, they’re not taking away the Bama-LSU game. We will have the toughest annual opponents.

who decided lsu was our rival? the only reason that became a thing was the Saban connection. lsu probably thinks they are our rival. but I don't think they are. Honestly we don't have a third rival.

 

[81usaf92]

Alabama fans have this weird habit of complaining for one thing and when they get it they complain about getting it. For over a decade I’ve heard the vast majority complain about directional schools and FCS teams being on our schedule and how they want a 1978 schedule. Now that we finally get it we complain????

 

[colbysullivan]

who decided lsu was our rival? the only reason that became a thing was the Saban connection. lsu probably thinks they are our rival. but I don't think they are. Honestly we don't have a third rival.

I never said they were a rival. Those games draw huge ratings.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

This is one change I'm fine with. I enjoy sec games and am good with playing 1 more a year. Sounds like teams will have to play at least one power 4 ooc game too

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I never said they were a rival. Those games draw huge ratings.

not if lsu goes back to the Curly Hallman/ Gerry DiNardo days.

 

[colbysullivan]

not if lsu goes back to the Curly Hallman/ Gerry DiNardo days.

Yeah good luck with that

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I am fine with 9 games and was always for it. What I am not a fan of is the permanent opponents. There are several teams that have no real rival or their "rival" is a complete joke.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Yeah good luck with that

a guy can dream