SEC Blue-bloods versus modern SEC teams

[volsknx]

I am curious to how you, my fellow VOL, fans feel towards the last four teams to become members of our conference and, how you feel about Texas and Oklahoma joining.

Though Arkansas and USCe have been here long enough that they don’t feel (any more) as much as outsiders. Still, I don’t truly see them as SEC. I think Spurrior had USCe in the SECCG twice. Arkansas, I think, has been in it once, maybe twice. Both have been in the league almost 30 years.

Mizzou and aTm have been in the league for almost a decade. I do recall a Mizzou receiver jabbering about SEC speed only for them to have a terrible first season. Granted, Mizzou did make two SeCCG appearances after that but that was when the East was down.

Other than increased TV revenue, I just don’t see how they contribute to the SEC. What are your thoughts?

As for Oklahoma and Texas, I just don’t see them being as dominant here as they are in the BIG VII. They just wont be able to run the gauntlet of a SEC schedule and hold up. Especially if they are places in the West.

How do you guys feel about the additions to the SEC in the last three decades? DO you feel as though they are SEC?

 

[Eastknox865]

Me personally I just want to see great games. I am old school but love the change. I really look forward to going to Texas for a game against the long horns. But to answer your question yes I look at them as SEC.

 

[99gator]

I don't have an issue anymore and I'll explain why. Especially, with this move should it happen.

As I have gotten older, I prefer the harder scheduling. My only complaint about a hard schedule is that everyone else needs to play a hard schedule too. But, if we are all playing hard schedules, I'm good.

So, in Florida's case, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, 3 Cupcakes.....the schedule doesn't excite me. And if any of the other regulars are down, it gets worse. Right now, Tennessee and FSU are down.

Well, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, should that move Alabama and Auburn to the East and the increased OOC moves Florida has made, it's an exciting prospect on a week to week basis. When Florida State and Tennessee improve, the schedule will be that much better.

I just want to be rewarded for that. I don't want Oregon, Clemson, etc, having a paved road to a playoff, while teams in the SEC are damn near playing an NFL schedule.

 

[VolBricks]

I think the SEC should add 4 teams not 2. I am for Texas and OU coming into the league because college football is no longer what it used to be. 30 years ago college football was more about the team and now I feel like it is just about the "Me" generation, what can I do to make the ESPN top 10 plays of the day. I quit watching NBA a long time ago after it was no longer about the team. I agree with the post above mine, I love good games and adding 2 or 4 good teams that we never get to play (Texas) only makes for more interesting games. I would like to see TX and OU go to the SEC west and bring in 2 more teams for the east like VT and FL St.

 

[Fatman Photos]

If you are in the SEC then you should be in the Southeastern part of the United States. If not, then change the name of the conference.

 

[tnutater]

If you are in the SEC then you should be in the Southeastern part of the United States. If not, then change the name of the conference.

Names don't count.
Dollars count.

 

[peaygolf]

P5 schools should leave the NCAA. Grab a few others (ND, Boise, UCF, Cincinnati, BYU)

That's 70 schools / 5 conferences = 14 teams per conferences
Let the conferences bid on who they want in their league. Schools make the best decision for themselves.

Everyone seems to want capitalism to rule college athletics.............here ya go.

 

[njvols]

I don't have an issue anymore and I'll explain why. Especially, with this move should it happen.

As I have gotten older, I prefer the harder scheduling. My only complaint about a hard schedule is that everyone else needs to play a hard schedule too. But, if we are all playing hard schedules, I'm good.

So, in Florida's case, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, 3 Cupcakes.....the schedule doesn't excite me. And if any of the other regulars are down, it gets worse. Right now, Tennessee and FSU are down.

Well, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, should that move Alabama and Auburn to the East and the increased OOC moves Florida has made, it's an exciting prospect on a week to week basis. When Florida State and Tennessee improve, the schedule will be that much better.

I just want to be rewarded for that. I don't want Oregon, Clemson, etc, having a paved road to a playoff, while teams in the SEC are damn near playing an NFL schedule.

I agree and would be perfectly fine w/ 9 SEC games + 3 OOC.

 

[rbvol]

I am curious to how you, my fellow VOL, fans feel towards the last four teams to become members of our conference and, how you feel about Texas and Oklahoma joining.

Though Arkansas and USCe have been here long enough that they don’t feel (any more) as much as outsiders. Still, I don’t truly see them as SEC. I think Spurrior had USCe in the SECCG twice. Arkansas, I think, has been in it once, maybe twice. Both have been in the league almost 30 years.

Mizzou and aTm have been in the league for almost a decade. I do recall a Mizzou receiver jabbering about SEC speed only for them to have a terrible first season. Granted, Mizzou did make two SeCCG appearances after that but that was when the East was down.

Other than increased TV revenue, I just don’t see how they contribute to the SEC. What are your thoughts?

As for Oklahoma and Texas, I just don’t see them being as dominant here as they are in the BIG VII. They just wont be able to run the gauntlet of a SEC schedule and hold up. Especially if they are places in the West.

How do you guys feel about the additions to the SEC in the last three decades? DO you feel as though they are SEC?

Along with money, another reason I think they are coming is because they saw what happened with A&M in recruiting and the other SEC schools getting a foot into the TX fertile recruiting ground. Being in the SEC gives them a better chance of landing recruits Bama, LSU and A&M have been getting which they would have gotten before A&M bolted the Big 12. And although TX has been down they are a sleeping giant if pieces fall together. OU is basically SEC ready to compete and will only get better once they are in the league and recruit at an even higher level.
Yes for Ark, but Missouri is an odd fit IMO although parts of it are culturally like us. OU is a cultural fit. TX not as much. A&M is definitely an SEC fit. These schools will look like southern schools on a map just expanding west.

 

[LittleVol]

Big 12 needs to get Nebraska and Mizzou back.
OU and Texas looking for the SEC money is lame. Neither won can outright win a National Championship so they try join anyway to reap the benefits of the conference.

Ask Miami and Virginia Tech how much "success" moving to the ACC got them. They were legit powers in the Big East. ACC was supposed to become a super conference!!
Yeah...about that.

SEC has been a Super Conference for 20 years. They don't need to add anything.

 

[DERELICK_MY_VOLS]

I don't have an issue anymore and I'll explain why. Especially, with this move should it happen.

As I have gotten older, I prefer the harder scheduling. My only complaint about a hard schedule is that everyone else needs to play a hard schedule too. But, if we are all playing hard schedules, I'm good.

So, in Florida's case, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, 3 Cupcakes.....the schedule doesn't excite me. And if any of the other regulars are down, it gets worse. Right now, Tennessee and FSU are down.

Well, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, should that move Alabama and Auburn to the East and the increased OOC moves Florida has made, it's an exciting prospect on a week to week basis. When Florida State and Tennessee improve, the schedule will be that much better.

I just want to be rewarded for that. I don't want Oregon, Clemson, etc, having a paved road to a playoff, while teams in the SEC are damn near playing an NFL schedule.

So you bring Alabama to rule the East…and still dominate the SEC. Florida beat Saban in 2008 with a Tebow squad. That was his 2nd year at Bama. Florida has lost 7 straight since. Georgia beat Saban in 2007 his first season at Bama. That was a Stafford/Moreno squad. UGA has lost 6 straight since. To be honest…I’m all for both of y’all getting beat every season by them. I welcome you both to the suck.

Now sure…you might catch them on a bad Saturday and they may mistake themselves into a loss. That’s given both the level of athletes your teams have. Odds are though there will be more losses than wins. Right now that’s 1-8 for you guys and 1-7 for UGA. Kiss sniffing a playoff birth goodbye.

LSU has only beaten Saban 4 times. Auburn has only beaten him 5 times. Ole Miss 2 times. Miss State 1 time in 2007…which means Dan Mullen is officially 0-10 vs Saban as a HC. Texas A&M 1 time. Last but not least Arkansas has never beaten Saban just like us.

Saban is 96-15 in the SEC since coming to Alabama. 165-23 overall. So in 14 years he’s only lost 8 games to OOC teams. So as a fan and alumni of a program that is sick of losing to Alabama with no sign of beating them anytime soon…I wish you the best of luck with welcoming that upon yourself. It’s easy to have that mindset…when Bama is out of sight out of mind. After they thump you this season…making it 1-9 in the Saban era (0-11 for Mullen) and continue the seasonal thumpings…you never sniff a SEC title game…let’s see how many Florida and UGA fans will be happy about this move. The ones for both schools that I know laugh and cherish the fact they only have to worry about Bama in the SEC Championship Game.

Remind’em all girls…

 

[volbound1700]

Arkansas fits well. I think Oklahoma will fit very well. Texas is meh. They are very liberal and metro. A&M was the blue collar, hard working school of Texas.

 

[99gator]

So you bring Alabama to rule the East…and still dominate the SEC. Florida beat Saban in 2008 with a Tebow squad. That was his 2nd year at Bama. Florida has lost 7 straight since. Georgia beat Saban in 2007 his first season at Bama. That was a Stafford/Moreno squad. UGA has lost 6 straight since. To be honest…I’m all for both of y’all getting beat every season by them. I welcome you both to the suck.

Now sure…you might catch them on a bad Saturday and they may mistake themselves into a loss. That’s given both the level of athletes your teams have. Odds are though there will be more losses than wins. Right now that’s 1-8 for you guys and 1-7 for UGA. Kiss sniffing a playoff birth goodbye.

LSU has only beaten Saban 4 times. Auburn has only beaten him 5 times. Ole Miss 2 times. Miss State 1 time in 2007…which means Dan Mullen is officially 0-10 vs Saban as a HC. Texas A&M 1 time. Last but not least Arkansas has never beaten Saban just like us.

Saban is 96-15 in the SEC since coming to Alabama. 165-23 overall. So in 14 years he’s only lost 8 games to OOC teams. So as a fan and alumni of a program that is sick of losing to Alabama with no sign of beating them anytime soon…I wish you the best of luck with welcoming that upon yourself. It’s easy to have that mindset…when Bama is out of sight out of mind. After they thump you this season…making it 1-9 in the Saban era (0-11 for Mullen) and continue the seasonal thumpings…you never sniff a SEC title game…let’s see how many Florida and UGA fans will be happy about this move. The ones for both schools that I know laugh and cherish the fact they only have to worry about Bama in the SEC Championship Game.

Remind’em all girls…

View attachment 382349

If we aren't good enough to beat them, we aren't good enough to beat them.

We've lost 4 SEC title games to them since 2009. They haven't been "out of sight, out of mind". If you want a championship, you have to beat them. If it's not them, it's another team that's national championship caliber. Alabama beat 4 teams that finished ranked in the top 7 last year. You don't win championships beating West Texas State. So, bring it on and if we lose, we lose.

This mentality that some of you carry that playing Alabama is the problem is one that I can't understand. Tennessee went 3-7 last season. One of the 5 best seasons the team has had since 2008, Tennessee lost to Georgia State.

If you were going 11-1, 10-2 every year and one of those was always Alabama, fine.

Playing Alabama has nothing to do with the other 11 games on the schedule.

I also can't understand how for Tennessee, this logic applies to Alabama, but not Florida. Since expansion in 1992, Tennessee is 10-18-1 vs. Alabama and 6-23 vs. Florida.

 

[Volprofch05]

Arkansas fits well. I think Oklahoma will fit very well. Texas is meh. They are very liberal and metro. A&M was the blue collar, hard working school of Texas.

Yeah sure, there’s no hard workers at the University of Texas

 

[Southeastern VFL]

I don't see it as a big deal I just hope they go to the 4 division like it has been talked about I just think it allows everybody to be equal in who they play by playing everybody in the conference.

 

[savannahfan]

I am curious to how you, my fellow VOL, fans feel towards the last four teams to become members of our conference and, how you feel about Texas and Oklahoma joining.

Though Arkansas and USCe have been here long enough that they don’t feel (any more) as much as outsiders. Still, I don’t truly see them as SEC. I think Spurrior had USCe in the SECCG twice. Arkansas, I think, has been in it once, maybe twice. Both have been in the league almost 30 years.

Mizzou and aTm have been in the league for almost a decade. I do recall a Mizzou receiver jabbering about SEC speed only for them to have a terrible first season. Granted, Mizzou did make two SeCCG appearances after that but that was when the East was down.

Other than increased TV revenue, I just don’t see how they contribute to the SEC. What are your thoughts?

As for Oklahoma and Texas, I just don’t see them being as dominant here as they are in the BIG VII. They just wont be able to run the gauntlet of a SEC schedule and hold up. Especially if they are places in the West.

How do you guys feel about the additions to the SEC in the last three decades? DO you feel as though they are SEC?

I stated in another thread that I feel we are almost back to the old SEC and SWC type organizations. I think you are right - the answer is MONEY.

 

[dcm3w]

I don't have an issue anymore and I'll explain why. Especially, with this move should it happen.

As I have gotten older, I prefer the harder scheduling. My only complaint about a hard schedule is that everyone else needs to play a hard schedule too. But, if we are all playing hard schedules, I'm good.

So, in Florida's case, Missouri, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, 3 Cupcakes.....the schedule doesn't excite me. And if any of the other regulars are down, it gets worse. Right now, Tennessee and FSU are down.

Well, with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, should that move Alabama and Auburn to the East and the increased OOC moves Florida has made, it's an exciting prospect on a week to week basis. When Florida State and Tennessee improve, the schedule will be that much better.

I just want to be rewarded for that. I don't want Oregon, Clemson, etc, having a paved road to a playoff, while teams in the SEC are damn near playing an NFL schedule.

I'm still in awe when I look at Clemson's and Ohio State's schedule. The level of competition week in and week out are putrid.

 

[volsknx]

Texas is down and has been down a while. Oklahoma may not be Bama elite but the program is better than Texas. It is going to be even more competitive if they do get to Bama level.

Can you imagine if the SEC CG is the yearly NC game?

 

[DERELICK_MY_VOLS]

If we aren't good enough to beat them, we aren't good enough to beat them.

We've lost 4 SEC title games to them since 2009. They haven't been "out of sight, out of mind". If you want a championship, you have to beat them. If it's not them, it's another team that's national championship caliber. Alabama beat 4 teams that finished ranked in the top 7 last year. You don't win championships beating West Texas State. So, bring it on and if we lose, we lose.

This mentality that some of you carry that playing Alabama is the problem is one that I can't understand. Tennessee went 3-7 last season. One of the 5 best seasons the team has had since 2008, Tennessee lost to Georgia State.

If you were going 11-1, 10-2 every year and one of those was always Alabama, fine.

Playing Alabama has nothing to do with the other 11 games on the schedule.

I also can't understand how for Tennessee, this logic applies to Alabama, but not Florida. Since expansion in 1992, Tennessee is 10-18-1 vs. Alabama and 6-23 vs. Florida.

I’m talking 110% about Florida. You said you wanted a tougher schedule which means playing Bama every season. The Florida and UGA fans that I know completely disagree with you. It has ultimately come down to the winner of UF vs UGA to go to Atlanta. They are always glad to not have to face them until Atlanta…just saying.

As for beating Florida…I am more about this than any other school in the SEC. A good chunk of those losses can be chalked up to y’all having superior coaching. Florida hired 2 of the greatest college head coaches ever. Butch Jones should have a had strung at least 2014-2017 in a row against Florida but managed to out coach himself. Same goes for Fulmer. Spurrier out coached Fulmer season after season. Meyer more of the same.

I went to Tennessee from 94-98. I had this same mentality that you say you’ve developed. Bring’em on anytime anywhere. The difference now…your program has never dealt with utter HC hiring incompetence. Your Athletic Dept during our time of epic failure does not except mediocrity in sports. I chalk up a loss to Bama every season. I am different than most…I want to beat Florida more than Bama…I want to see Florida lose every game you play. I would love nothing more than your program live through a rancid stretch like us.

With that said…I am just hoping to somehow close the gap to Florida and Georgia. I think offensively that is about to happen. Beating Florida to me is more of a priority than any other program in this conference….but that is just me. It has always been gotta beat Florida & has been since Spurrier arrived there. For us we gotta focus on just beating UK, Vandy, South Carolina, and Mizzu consistently while becoming competitive against y’all.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Okay, this is a barely-disguised attempt by a Florida fan (who pretends to be a Vols fan just to troll these boards) to get the Gators credit as one of the blue blood programs of the SEC.

They are not.

They are a founding member, just like Mississippi State. But for most of their existence, they've sucked even worse than the westernmost Bulldogs of the conference.

When we say blue blood, we mean royalty.

And when we talk about SEC blue bloods, General Neyland comes to mind. The old Tennessee - Bama rivalry comes to mind. Shug Jordan and Bear Bryant having at it, too. Vince Dooley at UGa. Archie Manning down at Ole Miss. Even the earliest years of the conference (and its predecessors), when Vandy was the hottest team in the region. Yes, even Vandy has a claim as an SEC blue blood.

But not Mississippi State. And not Florida.

Nice try, IknoxvolsI. But no cigar.

 

[99gator]

I’m talking 110% about Florida. You said you wanted a tougher schedule which means playing Bama every season. The Florida and UGA fans that I know completely disagree with you. It has ultimately come down to the winner of UF vs UGA to go to Atlanta. They are always glad to not have to face them until Atlanta…just saying.

As for beating Florida…I am more about this than any other school in the SEC. A good chunk of those losses can be chalked up to y’all having superior coaching. Florida hired 2 of the greatest college head coaches ever. Butch Jones should have a had strung at least 2014-2017 in a row against Florida but managed to out coach himself. Same goes for Fulmer. Spurrier out coached Fulmer season after season. Meyer more of the same.

I went to Tennessee from 94-98. I had this same mentality that you say you’ve developed. Bring’em on anytime anywhere. The difference now…your program has never dealt with utter HC hiring incompetence. Your Athletic Dept during our time of epic failure does not except mediocrity in sports. I chalk up a loss to Bama every season. I am different than most…I want to beat Florida more than Bama…I want to see Florida lose every game you play. I would love nothing more than your program live through a rancid stretch like us.

With that said…I am just hoping to somehow close the gap to Florida and Georgia. I think offensively that is about to happen. Beating Florida to me is more of a priority than any other program in this conference….but that is just me. It has always been gotta beat Florida & has been since Spurrier arrived there. For us we gotta focus on just beating UK, Vandy, South Carolina, and Mizzu consistently while becoming competitive against y’all.

In one way or another, Florida has played Alabama in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, and now 2021. We've basically been playing Alabama almost every season as it is. Whether it's in the SEC title game or not, you're still having to play them.

But, I reject the whole premise.

I never look at an opponent like that. Sure, I will go into a game thinking we will more than likely lose. I've gone into a season thinking if we face each other we'll likely lose. However, I have never, ever looked at an opponent and thought that as a program we can't play this team and we need to avoid it because we'll never be better than them. Never done that.

I have no idea what 2025 will look like. I have no idea who will be really strong and who won't.

All I know is when Florida has won championships, they played the hardest schedule they could possibly play. All throughout the 90's, Florida played Alabama, LSU, and Auburn every year. And Tennessee when they were really good and Florida State. In 2006, Florida played the top 4 teams from the West. In 2008, Florida again played the top 4 teams in the West.

You can not hide from competition.

 

[Elhanan]

Bama is a buzzsaw in itself. LSU is unpredictable and can easily become a loss for any team. Texas a&m is rising fast with elite coaching and very strong talent. UGA and Florida are always tough games. Even the middle of the pack teams can catch a big name off balance and pull off a win.

None of that is true for what use to be the Big 12. Oklahoma has dominated the league with a few other teams occasionally cycling up then right back down.

Keeping the East vs West model with moving Alabama and Auburn to the East does make it a boat load easier for both Texas and Oklahoma. Going to a 4x4 division could make the schedules more balanced across the board especially ending permanent cross division rivals and getting us all on a two year rotation. A sample SEC schedule for Oklahoma could look like this:

Oklahoma 2024
===========
@ Missouri
Arkansas
Vanderbilt
@ Texas
LSU
@ Georgia
Tennessee
@ Florida
Ole Miss

Oklahoma 2025
===========
Missouri
@ Arkansas
@ Vanderbilt
Texas a&m
@ Mississippi State
@ Kentucky
South Carolina
Auburn
@ Alabama

This could be anywhere from 6-3 to 9-0 for the Sooners in SEC play. If teams like Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas get back to their glory it could get ugly for Oklahoma real fast. Especially if those teams that cycle up occasionally like Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State get hot at the right time.

Texas is going to struggle regardless. They are in a down cycle and going into the SEC isn't going to do them any favors until they've had time to recruit for a few years assuming they are actually back on track.

 

[1Volnation]

As I have said, I do not like change.

 

[901 Orange]

I agree and would be perfectly fine w/ 9 SEC games + 3 OOC.

Wouldnt that be the setup with OU and TX joining?? 7 divison games, 1 permenant cross divison game, 1 rotating divison game. That's 9 games. You would almost have to play cupcakes in the OOC games

 

[Devo182]

Send them all back. Add Ga Tech and an NC school. 14 truly Southeast teams.

OR

Send them all back and let's go back to 12 teams...where we have a better chance to win a conference title at least a couple times before we all die. 16 teams with 3 teams that recruit as well or better than us (ou, tx, tamu) just makes things harder and harder.

I just want to win.