Offseason Topic: SEC Schedule (Pre- Mizzou and A&M)

#26
#26
Appreciate your historical stats. The first year l can remember was 1998. Didn't know we were playing Arkansas yearly for a little while.

It's ok. Yes, from 1992 through the 2002 season, UT and Arkansas played each other yearly in a rotating home-and-home cross-divisional series (along with The Third Saturday in October cross-division matchup).

It seemed like the intention was to still preserve some of the more historical series matchups, while in the TN-Arkansas matchup's case, it was likely done in the attempt of finding/creating natural conference rivalries for new member Arkansas, with the border the two states share (prior to 1992, Arkansas hadn't played LSU since the 1960s; at the time there was no guarantee that it would take off as a rivalry the way it ended up doing).

Though it's also worth noting that the second permanent matchup with Arkansas likely came at the expense of what would have been a continuation of the then Tennessee - Ole Miss rivalry (the two played pretty much played a yearly home-and-home series - with several neutral site games being played in Memphis as well - from the mid-1950s up until the divisions were created after 1991). When Arkansas was paired with Tennessee in this setup, Ole Miss was then paired with Georgia.


The 1992-2002 combinations went:

  • Alabama - Tennessee, Vanderbilt (<-- save a 2-year period in the mid-40s, Alabama & Vandy had played each other yearly from either 1926/1929 through 2002)

  • Auburn - Georgia, Florida ( <-- Auburn & Florida had been a major SEC rivalry...essentially each team's 2nd biggest rival; the two played each other yearly from about 1927 through 2002, when the conference's scheduling change to the previous set up finally dissolved the rivalry meeting yearly)

  • Arkansas - Tennessee, South Carolina

  • Florida - LSU, Auburn

  • Georgia - Auburn, Mississippi

  • Kentucky - Mississippi State, LSU ( <-- save for a 1-year gap, UK & LSU played each other yearly from 1949 through 2002, when the scheduling shift ended it)

  • LSU - Florida, Kentucky

  • Mississippi - Georgia, Vanderbilt ( <-- save for 3 years, Ole Miss & Vandy have played each other yearly since around 1945)

  • Mississippi State - Kentucky, South Carolina

  • South Carolina - Arkansas, Mississippi State

  • Tennessee - Alabama, Arkansas

  • Vanderbilt - Mississippi, Alabama


That setup was voted away after 2002 - most likely a combination of both how long it took the non-permanent teams to actually meet again (6-years) and probably somewhat at the behest of schedule-fairness (especially regarding situations for schools like LSU, Florida, and Auburn in that setup). After that the 5-1-2 scheduling format (the previous one) was put in place.
 
#27
#27
The big12 only wishes it still had Mizzou and A&M.

You guys should just be happy the SEC doesn't have a "Texas" to come ruin the conference (and its historical rivalries) for good.
 
#28
#28
The big12 only wishes it still had Mizzou and A&M.

You guys should just be happy the SEC doesn't have a "Texas" to come ruin the conference (and its historical rivalries) for good.

Actually Tennessee and Bama are accused of being the "Texas" of the SEC when it comes to rivalries. Our refusal to give up the Third Saturday in October screwed up the divisions from the start.
 
#29
#29
I have often thought of this and I have never liked Arkansas and USCe being in the SEC.

Maybe I'm being old here bit to me those two programs and now Mizzou and aTm are and always be outsiders!

Because GaTech left they will never be allowed back in. Plus the SEC already have that market.

Now Miami and Fla St. is a different story. But, those two turned the SEC down. Hence, that's how we got Arky and SC.
 
#30
#30
Actually Tennessee and Bama are accused of being the "Texas" of the SEC when it comes to rivalries. Our refusal to give up the Third Saturday in October screwed up the divisions from the start.

Not quite. If Alabama refused the SEC network and instead opted for the "Crimson Tide Network", then they'd be Texas
 
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