Question about the new SEC SCHEDULE AND PLAYOFFS

[Budalicious]

Is there a scenario,where multiple SEC teams could go undefeated next year, with the way scheduling is drawn up? And if so , how many are possible?

 

[VolBalls33]

No.

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

I'm going to hijack this with a question of my own:

Was a rhyme or reason ever determined for scheduling? Or is this year just random before they establish permanent opponents? Last I heard they were kicking tires on "pods", but did that happen?

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I'm going to hijack this with a question of my own:

Was a rhyme or reason ever determined for scheduling? Or is this year just random before they establish permanent opponents? Last I heard they were kicking tires on "pods", but did that happen?

No pods. This year is a one off 8 game schedule that preserved traditional rivalries. They have said they are either going to go to a 1/7/7 model (1 permanent, other 14 rotate every other year 7 and 7) or a 3/6/6 (3 permanent, other 12 rotate every other year, 6 and 6) depending on whether they stay at 8 conference games or go to 9. They could decide on either of those this spring or agree on another one off, it's all about whether they can get ESPN to pay more for 9.

 

[zeppelin128]

No pods. This year is a one off 8 game schedule that preserved traditional rivalries. They have said they are either going to go to a 1/7/7 model (1 permanent, other 14 rotate every other year 7 and 7) or a 3/6/6 (3 permanent, other 12 rotate every other year, 6 and 6) depending on whether they stay at 8 conference games or go to 9. They could decide on either of those this spring or agree on another one off, it's all about whether they can get ESPN to pay more for 9.

I really hope we go to a 9 game conference schedule and a 3/6/6. Bama, Kentucky, and Vandy need to be on our schedule yearly. If we go 1/7/7, we are going to get stuck with just Vandy. No way they split up the Iron Bowl so we can keep TSIO in that scenario.

 

[njvols]

For a team to go undefeated they are going to have to be generationally good…like UGA a few years ago or like Bama with Tua. I like it. SEC slate is going to be nuts next year…every weekend.

 

[Swiftybaby]

No.

Amazing insight

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Is there a scenario,where multiple SEC teams could go undefeated next year, with the way scheduling is drawn up? And if so , how many are possible?

There is.

I've found two combinations of 4 teams who could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024, because none of them play one another. One combo is: UGa, Oklahoma, A&M, and Vandy (lol, I know. But theoretically speaking). Another is: Tennessee, Texas, LSU, and Mizzou. There's a similar string, but only including 3 teams, for Bama: either Bama, Texas, and Ole Miss ... or Bama, A&M, and Kentucky. There might even be a combination involving 5 teams, my research wasn't exhaustive. But I think 4 is the best you can find if you want to include the Vols, UGa, or Bama.

So, yes. Hypothetically speaking, the Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Mizzou Tigers could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024.

Of course, one of the four would forcibly lose to another in the SEC CG, leaving only 3 undefeated going into the national playoffs (but note the one-loss conference runner up would have a strong argument for getting into the playoffs, too).

Thinking beyond 2024, it is hypothetically possible to have 8 (EIGHT!) teams undefeated. It would take clever scheduling. In fact, it would take scheduling that is unsustainable over the long term.

You could call it the anti-division model, because it basically involves setting up two divisions, and then having everyone in one division play ONLY the teams in the opposite division.

Or you could call it the predator-prey model, because a conference trying to maximize the number of undefeated teams would put all the better teams in one division, and all the worse ones in the other. So that, conceivably, half the conference could go 8-0 while the other half went 0-8.

It looks like this:




I know, that's a beast to look at. But just focus on the lack of connections between the 8 teams in the lower half of the picture (purple-darkblue-orange-blue-green-black-yellow-pink). None of them play each other. Instead, they each play all 8 teams on the upper half of the circle.

So imagine the SEC organizing the schedule so that Bama, UGa, Tennessee, LSU, A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Texas were the 8 bottom-half teams. None of them play each other. Ever, outside the SEC CG and national playoffs. Heh.

I know, this is totally unsustainable. Not only would the world laugh at a conference who tried this crap, it would become meaningless as a conference. And on top of that, the 8 prey would never agree to it.

But there it is. Theoretically possible.

This was an interesting question to research; thanks for it!

Go Vols!

p.p.s. A quirky thing I found out while researching this: the Vols and Longhorns have almost-identical SEC schedules in 2024. We both play UGa, Florida, Kentucky, Vandy, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Miss State. The only conference difference in our schedules is that we play Bama while Texas plays A&M. That's kinda wild.


[note: I had to clean this post up some, because it was getting pretty scatter-shot as I kept adding updates while learning more over multiple edits. So if you saw a more complicated version earlier and wonder where it went, that's where, heh]

 

[Budalicious]

Thanks, you are the MAN!

 

[Vols1891]

There is.

I've found two combinations of 4 teams who could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024, because none of them play one another. One combo is: UGa, Oklahoma, A&M, and Vandy (lol, I know. But theoretically speaking). Another is: Tennessee, Texas, LSU, and Mizzou. There's a similar string, but only including 3 teams, for Bama: either Bama, Texas, and Ole Miss ... or Bama, A&M, and Kentucky. There might even be a combination involving 5 teams, my research wasn't exhaustive. But I think 4 is the best you can find if you want to include the Vols, UGa, or Bama.

So, yes. Hypothetically speaking, the Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Mizzou Tigers could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024.

Of course, one of the four would forcibly lose to another in the SEC CG, leaving only 3 undefeated going into the national playoffs (but note the one-loss conference runner up would have a strong argument for getting into the playoffs, too).

Thinking beyond 2024, it is hypothetically possible to have 8 (EIGHT!) teams undefeated. It would take clever scheduling. In fact, it would take scheduling that is unsustainable over the long term.

You could call it the anti-division model, because it basically involves setting up two divisions, and then having everyone in one division play ONLY the teams in the opposite division.

Or you could call it the predator-prey model, because a conference trying to maximize the number of undefeated teams would put all the better teams in one division, and all the worse ones in the other. So that, conceivably, half the conference could go 8-0 while the other half went 0-8.

It looks like this:

View attachment 603870


I know, that's a beast to look at. But just focus on the lack of connections between the 8 teams in the lower half of the picture (purple-darkblue-orange-blue-green-black-yellow-pink). None of them play each other. Instead, they each play all 8 teams on the upper half of the circle.

So imagine the SEC organizing the schedule so that Bama, UGa, Tennessee, LSU, A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Texas were the 8 bottom-half teams. None of them play each other. Ever, outside the SEC CG and national playoffs. Heh.

I know, this is totally unsustainable. Not only would the world laugh at a conference who tried this crap, it would become meaningless as a conference. And on top of that, the 8 prey would never agree to it.

But there it is. Theoretically possible.

This was an interesting question to research; thanks for it!

Go Vols!

p.p.s. A quirky thing I found out while researching this: the Vols and Longhorns have almost-identical SEC schedules in 2024. We both play UGa, Florida, Kentucky, Vandy, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Miss State. The only conference difference in our schedules is that we play Bama while Texas plays A&M. That's kinda wild.


[note: I had to clean this post up some, because it was getting pretty scatter-shot as I kept adding updates while learning more over multiple edits. So if you saw a more complicated version earlier and wonder where it went, that's where, heh]

Nice work!

 

[Jaxon_Vol2017]

There is.

I've found two combinations of 4 teams who could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024, because none of them play one another. One combo is: UGa, Oklahoma, A&M, and Vandy (lol, I know. But theoretically speaking). Another is: Tennessee, Texas, LSU, and Mizzou. There's a similar string, but only including 3 teams, for Bama: either Bama, Texas, and Ole Miss ... or Bama, A&M, and Kentucky. There might even be a combination involving 5 teams, my research wasn't exhaustive. But I think 4 is the best you can find if you want to include the Vols, UGa, or Bama.

So, yes. Hypothetically speaking, the Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Mizzou Tigers could all go undefeated in the regular season in 2024.

Of course, one of the four would forcibly lose to another in the SEC CG, leaving only 3 undefeated going into the national playoffs (but note the one-loss conference runner up would have a strong argument for getting into the playoffs, too).

Thinking beyond 2024, it is hypothetically possible to have 8 (EIGHT!) teams undefeated. It would take clever scheduling. In fact, it would take scheduling that is unsustainable over the long term.

You could call it the anti-division model, because it basically involves setting up two divisions, and then having everyone in one division play ONLY the teams in the opposite division.

Or you could call it the predator-prey model, because a conference trying to maximize the number of undefeated teams would put all the better teams in one division, and all the worse ones in the other. So that, conceivably, half the conference could go 8-0 while the other half went 0-8.

It looks like this:

View attachment 603870


I know, that's a beast to look at. But just focus on the lack of connections between the 8 teams in the lower half of the picture (purple-darkblue-orange-blue-green-black-yellow-pink). None of them play each other. Instead, they each play all 8 teams on the upper half of the circle.

So imagine the SEC organizing the schedule so that Bama, UGa, Tennessee, LSU, A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Texas were the 8 bottom-half teams. None of them play each other. Ever, outside the SEC CG and national playoffs. Heh.

I know, this is totally unsustainable. Not only would the world laugh at a conference who tried this crap, it would become meaningless as a conference. And on top of that, the 8 prey would never agree to it.

But there it is. Theoretically possible.

This was an interesting question to research; thanks for it!

Go Vols!

p.p.s. A quirky thing I found out while researching this: the Vols and Longhorns have almost-identical SEC schedules in 2024. We both play UGa, Florida, Kentucky, Vandy, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Miss State. The only conference difference in our schedules is that we play Bama while Texas plays A&M. That's kinda wild.


[note: I had to clean this post up some, because it was getting pretty scatter-shot as I kept adding updates while learning more over multiple edits. So if you saw a more complicated version earlier and wonder where it went, that's where, heh]

Just curious, what do you do for a living? Statistics or something close?

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Just curious, what do you do for a living? Statistics or something close?

Naw, man, I was a soldier my entire working life. Engineer (mostly airborne combat engineer, some construction, some mapping) and Foreign Area Officer focused on Europe as my secondary specialty.

But my wife was a high school math teacher, so maybe some of that rubbed off on me, heh.

Go Vols!

 

[vik]

It looks like this:

View attachment 603870

Confused What GIF - Confused What - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[Volos]

Speaking of schedules, is there any way to buy ourselves out of the NC State game? If we go 10-2 we are in the playoffs, it seems like an unnecessary risk to play a good NC State team. Look at Ole Miss and Mizzou, this is the way that we should schedule the OOC games. If we can trade and NC State for a Ball State level team, going 1-2 vs OU, Bama, and UGA would give us a great chance at making the playoffs. If it is at all possible, Danny White should be all over this just like we got out of the BYU game last year.

 

[VolPack22]

Speaking of schedules, is there any way to buy ourselves out of the NC State game? If we go 10-2 we are in the playoffs, it seems like an unnecessary risk to play a good NC State team. Look at Ole Miss and Mizzou, this is the way that we should schedule the OOC games. If we can trade and NC State for a Ball State level team, going 1-2 vs OU, Bama, and UGA would give us a great chance at making the playoffs. If it is at all possible, Danny White should be all over this just like we got out of the BYU game last year.

If they are planning on expanding the CFP to 14 teams like is being talked about, the SEC should go to 10 conference games like they did for Covid and leave the 2 OOC games vs FCS programs as “preseason” type games. I would rather sacrifice the quality of 2 games for tuning up and see more conference games in the regular season and every team in the conference gets an additional home conference game in this scenario. It would also allow these bigger programs to keep some of the smaller programs operational in this new era of college football by allowing more money to be given to those schools for playing the big schools.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Speaking of schedules, is there any way to buy ourselves out of the NC State game? If we go 10-2 we are in the playoffs, it seems like an unnecessary risk to play a good NC State team. Look at Ole Miss and Mizzou, this is the way that we should schedule the OOC games. If we can trade and NC State for a Ball State level team, going 1-2 vs OU, Bama, and UGA would give us a great chance at making the playoffs. If it is at all possible, Danny White should be all over this just like we got out of the BYU game last year.

I think it’s a little late for that, plus we’re not going to beat OU, Bama or UGA if we can’t beat State on a neutral field. Good thing too, considering the other UT that’s now in the conference is traveling to Ann Arbor that same weekend, UF plays Miami on opening weekend, UGA plays Clemson on opening weekend and Bama goes to Wisconsin the next weekend. I’d hate running from an NC State team that hasn’t won the ACC since the Carter administration. It might be a little embarrassing. Having Nico play a relatively tough non home game will help him be ready for Norman 2 weeks later .

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I think it’s a little late for that, plus we’re not going to beat OU, Bama or UGA if we can’t beat State on a neutral field. Good thing too, considering the other UT that’s now in the conference is traveling to Ann Arbor that same weekend, UF plays Miami on opening weekend, UGA plays Clemson on opening weekend and Bama goes to Wisconsin the next weekend. I’d hate running from an NC State team that hasn’t won the ACC since the Carter administration. It might be a little embarrassing. Having Nico play a relatively tough non home game will help him be ready for Norman 2 weeks later .

Agree. Many of our regular opponents (UF, UGA, SCAR specifically) already play 2 P5 OOC teams most years anyway. It would be an extremely weak move not to even play 1. Could backfire as well if we end up on the bubble with a team that also went 10-2 but played tougher OOC opponents. In the future I am not sure we are going to be able to rely on the "but we played Bama" argument as much when comparing schedules. Saban's Bama is gone, and even if DeBeor is successful with the new schedule, everyone will be playing them more.

 

[Tin Man]

One conference maxim should be that every team play home and away with every other conference team within a four year eligibility period. This can be accomplished with a rotating 9-game conference schedule. For those schools wishing to continue annual rivalries, when the conference doesn't pair them, they may use one of their three OOC slots to schedule a game. If member schools choose to do this, those games outside of conference scheduling will not count towards conference championship eligibility, excepting the rare instance when it may be a deciding factor between the two schools being tied in all other criteria.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

One conference maxim should be that every team play home and away with every other conference team within a four year eligibility period. This can be accomplished with a rotating 9-game conference schedule. For those schools wishing to continue annual rivalries, when the conference doesn't pair them, they may use one of their three OOC slots to schedule a game. If member schools choose to do this, those games outside of conference scheduling will not count towards conference championship eligibility, excepting the rare instance when it may be a deciding factor between the two schools being tied in all other criteria.

That will be the case with the 3/6/6 plan or the 1/7/7 plan, which are the two plans still being considered and it's probably going to be 3/6/6, so that will pretty much take care of the rivalries. 2024 is just a one off schedule that bought them some more time.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

That will be the case with the 3/6/6 plan or the 1/7/7 plan, which are the two plans still being considered and it's probably going to be 3/6/6, so that will pretty much take care of the rivalries. 2024 is just a one off schedule that bought them some more time.

I think what this seasons schedule is going to do is force ESPN to shell out some more $ for the 9 game schedule that they were either unable to come up with or were at first reluctant to come up with. The SEC conference schedule week to week this season is ridiculous. Every week there are multiple huge games and I think Sankey is banking on the ratings to show ESPN that they need to pony up and pay for that extra week of content .