The SEC will reveal its new 9-game schedule model on Tuesday (9/23)

[backdoorcutvol]

Too many teams in P4 conferences. How can you truly declare a conference champion when each teams doesn’t play each other? Money and Sankey ruining college football.

We could have east/west or north south and play everyone in the division and two division winner play. Then again do we need conference championships with 12 or more teams making playoffs?

 

[RDU VOL#14]

There’s no way we get such a favorable draw.

Like NO WAY IN HADES

Who does Kentucky get if they don’t get us ? We’re their only real rival.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I guess Vandy for tradion sake but man, we have to play Bama and Florida each year. I can see Georgia too, I guess but, those other two are our largest rivals.

I think UGA gets Florida (guaranteed) Auburn and South Carolina.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Anyone else catch that they will evaluate the "annual opponents" every 4 years?
So if Bama tanks in the next few seasons, it's possible that in the re-evaluation in 2030 UT would lose one of Bama, UK, or Vandy and pick up say UGA for 4 yrs.

Yah, I found that interesting, as well.

Can't off the top of my head imagine a scenario where they would change things around. Possibly the scenario you said, like if one team wins the conference title three years running and all three of their permanent opponents are soft as butter? But then, that team would still be running roughshod over the rest of the conference, too, where the harder opponents reside. So not sure that would be a realistic scenario, as they'd be earning the championship either way.

Another possibility could go like this: say the SEC front office is a bit worried about whether the former B12 teams integrate well with the traditional SEC. Imagine if Texas, A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mizzou all have each other as permanent rivals, with an LSU thrown in for A&M, or a Kentucky tossed in for Mizzou. Well, the SEC may want to review in four years whether a cultural separation is emerging (or I guess continuing would be a better word) between this pocket of the old B12 and the bulk of the SEC.

I don't know. It really is an interesting footnote, though.

Go Vols!

 

[Dadof2Vols]

well I don't know who the "other 6" will be next year, but I can guarantee Texas will be one of them. I REALLY want to see Arch come to Neyland.....that would be poetic. If the SEC scheduling gurus have the same sense of humor/irony that the NCAA Selection Committee has in basketball, we should see the Horns in Neyland next year.

UT will have to got to Texas first(mark my word) and unless Archie gets it together, he may not be the starter

 

[IndianaVol]

Yah, I found that interesting, as well.

Can't off the top of my head imagine a scenario where they would change things around. Possibly the scenario you said, like if one team wins the conference title three years running and all three of their permanent opponents are soft as butter? But then, that team would still be running roughshod over the rest of the conference, too, where the harder opponents reside. So not sure that would be a realistic scenario, as they'd be earning the championship either way.

Another possibility could go like this: say the SEC front office is a bit worried about whether the former B12 teams integrate well with the traditional SEC. Imagine if Texas, A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mizzou all have each other as permanent rivals, with an LSU thrown in for A&M, or a Kentucky tossed in for Mizzou. Well, the SEC may want to review in four years whether a cultural separation is emerging (or I guess continuing would be a better word) between this pocket of the old B12 and the bulk of the SEC.

I don't know. It really is an interesting footnote, though.

Go Vols!

Good points.
Your first one is exactly what I was thinking where they would try to realign to have consistently competitive games throughout the season, especially if there are say two teams that are trading back and forth for a few years like Bama and UGA did towards the end of Saban's tenure.

I had not thought about the culture aspect of this at all, but that could be an issue too. Maybe travel schedules would factor into things as well. You would think that the natural "rivalries" for every school are all within a few hours drive, so I could see this culture thing happening for sure.

As someone else already said in this thread, and I've stated in other places, I don't think we are far from dividing into 4 'pods' divided somewhat geographically. every team in your pod is your permanent 'annual opponent' then you rotate through the other 3 pods every other year. Best record in your pod gets you into a mini-playoff of the top 4 in the SEC for the SEC Title.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Yah, I found that interesting, as well.

Can't off the top of my head imagine a scenario where they would change things around. Possibly the scenario you said, like if one team wins the conference title three years running and all three of their permanent opponents are soft as butter? But then, that team would still be running roughshod over the rest of the conference, too, where the harder opponents reside. So not sure that would be a realistic scenario, as they'd be earning the championship either way.

Another possibility could go like this: say the SEC front office is a bit worried about whether the former B12 teams integrate well with the traditional SEC. Imagine if Texas, A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mizzou all have each other as permanent rivals, with an LSU thrown in for A&M, or a Kentucky tossed in for Mizzou. Well, the SEC may want to review in four years whether a cultural separation is emerging (or I guess continuing would be a better word) between this pocket of the old B12 and the bulk of the SEC.

I don't know. It really is an interesting footnote, though.

Go Vols!

Or they are already planning for the next expansion?

 

[volwindy]

well I don't know who the "other 6" will be next year, but I can guarantee Texas will be one of them. I REALLY want to see Arch come to Neyland.....that would be poetic. If the SEC scheduling gurus have the same sense of humor/irony that the NCAA Selection Committee has in basketball, we should see the Horns in Neyland next year.

They could also want to see Arch at Ole Miss for the same reasons.

 

[zeppelin128]

It hs to be Bama, UK, and Vandy. I get we won’t see UK or Vandy as top 3 rival, but who besides us do Vandy and UK actually consider a “rival” in this conference?

A lot of people are forgetting that even poor Vandy and Kentucky have a say in all this.
We are their number 1 rival, no way we aren't their first choice for annual opponent.

 

[IndianaVol]

Or they are already planning for the next expansion?

Hmmmm that's interesting...but back to the argument of making the numbers work out, do they add 4 to get to 20.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

A lot of people are forgetting that even poor Vandy and Kentucky have a say in all this.
We are their number 1 rival, no way we aren't their first choice for annual opponent.

Exactly. Who would be UK’s rival if not us ?

 

[zeppelin128]

Exactly. Who would be UK’s rival if not us ?

Seems like kitties have a history with one of the Mississippi schools, I forget which one.
Same with Vandy, they have a history with Bama but it falls way short of their hatred for us.

 

[Titans4Vols]

I don't see how they can maintain the 3 annual rivals thing and keep schedules truly balanced. Wouldn't be surprised if we get to a point where all opponents just rotate.

 

[vol_sec]

Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri, South Carolina, Vandy, Bama, Kentucky if they keep those three and rotate others played this year with Auburn possibly replacing one... That is currently eight ranked teams out of the nine total either way. I don't think other teams have much to complain about, probably will be one of the tougher schedules.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I don't see how they can maintain the 3 annual rivals thing and keep schedules truly balanced. Wouldn't be surprised if we get to a point where all opponents just rotate.

I think SEC schedules have never been, and will never be, perfectly balanced. Often, not even close.

I mean, look at poor Florida's schedule this year. Murderer's row. Certainly not balanced. No other team wants to touch what they have to face.

Plus, things are constantly moving. Who knew the year before Saban retired that Bama was going to fall so quickly--they lost FOUR games last season, and have already lost one this go.

Or Oklahoma. They looked like dog vomit much of last year, so if the SEC scheduled them as a weaker opponent, they'd be way wrong this season, it appears so far.

Or Florida. After finishing the back of their season well in 2024, if the SEC had adjusted things in the off-season, someone would have a "hard" opponent in 2025 that can't seem to find their own rear ends with both hands.

Bottom line is, it doesn't matter if you have 3 annual rivals or none, the SEC front office isn't going to balance the schedules perfectly. Maybe get close for most teams, but a few are going to be way out of whack each year no matter what.

Go Vols!

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Seems like kitties have a history with one of the Mississippi schools, I forget which one.
Same with Vandy, they have a history with Bama but it falls way short of their hatred for us.

I think Vandy played Ole Miss as their crossover opponent from the West and UK had Miss St.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

This is SI’s prediction:


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

 

[NighthawkVol]

Bama, Kentucky and Vandy make sense for Vols. Have played by far most games against these three than any other team.
Don’t give a flip about playing Ga or Gators every year. Will still get them 2 of every 4 years, probably one or the other every year.

This. Exactly.

 

[NighthawkVol]

This is SI’s prediction:


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

SI thinks they’re going to break up LSU-Ole Miss?

Don’t see that happening.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

SI thinks they’re going to break up LSU-Ole Miss?

Don’t see that happening.

I think Bama gets Miss St, loses LSU. LSU gets UF, Ole Miss and aTm.

 

[ArmchairQB]

Or they are already planning for the next expansion?

This. Don’t lock South Carolina into three teams forever in case Clemson joins. Or Florida State to Florida, etc.

 

[KTrain]

Perfect scenario

Yeah I've got a feeling Bama is going to go in a funk here during this NIL years not real bad but like the Shula years. I think Saban saw that coming and the money will play a big part. I understand the 4 year review you could get 3 teams that go on a historically bad decade and have a easy path every year.

 

[KTrain]

This part isn't true, man.

In 1992, when the divisions were formed, Florida was nowhere near the top 6 in conference. At that point in history, VANDY had more "traditional power" than Florida. So did Ole Miss. So did newcomer Arkansas. It looked like this:

View attachment 774608

The conference may have divided the divisions by perceived current strength at the time, because Spurrier was already making Florida a newly interesting program. But there was zero tradition to it.


Nah, I think the SEC divided the teams geographically, east and west.* Simple as that.

Either way, I think this puts paid to your premise about the divisions being designed for balance. It may have been a factor, but certainly wasn't the be-all and end-all.

Go Vols!


*really, Northeast versus Southwest -- Vandy is geographically a bit west of Auburn, but if you angle the dividing line just a bit, you keep the two Bama schools in one division together, as well as the two Tennessee programs. So they did that.

SEC - Wins over Time

A Flourish data visualisation by JP

public.flourish.studio

I think and maybe know you are right but the poster that called them the big 6 and divided 3 & 3 in East & West made a great presentation but you are more right. Florida was not much of a program pre 1990. The poster is probably young and just thinking of recent times and not traditional. In fact Vanderbilt was a great team in the early George Cafego years.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Sort of a scheduling strength balancing thing when dealing with the schedules of the conference's historically top programs (Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Texas, Oklahoma) relative to those not-as-successful-programs (South Carolina, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Missouri, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky)

It's a consideration they took when first creating the divisions and permanent opponents in 1992 (and why, for example, Florida played LSU as its annual opponent while South Carolina played Arkansas and Mississippi State played Kentucky, rather than, say, LSU's permanent cross-divisional opponent being either South Carolina or Kentucky and Florida playing Mississippi State/Arkansas each year).

Though, honestly. at the end of the day, someone's (if not several teams') historical rivals are going to have to be effected or diminished to some degree to make a system like this work.

It wont matter ultimately. Once we go to 9 conference games, everybody's schedule will be tough.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Who does Kentucky get if they don’t get us ? We’re their only real rival.

Exactly. People want to argue as if WE are the only ones who's schedule matters. We are KY's biggest rival by far, in both football and basketball. They would be pissed if we werent one of their permanent opponents. They get a voice in this, too. Now, bring back the beer barrel!