Thought on SEC schedule [league decides to stick with 8 games in 2024]

[901 Orange]

As much as I like playing Alabama, I miss playing Auburn, and the others. I'd gladly give up a yearly game if I got all of them over other year instead of once a decade or less. All teams will be available to become rivals playing each other that routinely. Imagine Tennessee never playing Bo back in the day or Herschel and many others.

Idk it's hard for me to hate Auburn because they hate Bama as much as we do. I definitely don't wanna stop playing Bama before we start a streak of our own vs them.

 

[volbound1700]

Idk it's hard for me to hate Auburn because they hate Bama as much as we do. I definitely don't wanna stop playing Bama before we start a streak of our own vs them.

Trust me, I lived in Birmingham years ago and Auburn fans were far worse than even the Alabama fans. I definitely don't have any love for them. Happy to see them get beat, especially by Tennessee.

 

[SpookyAction]

I think you are misinterpreting what Ubben said. He's saying 8 games in 2024 is not the 1/7/7 model that everyone had been expecting if we stayed at 8 games. The conference is just going to set 8 games for everyone, not necessarily according to a formula. Sankey said the primary and secondary rivalries would be protected in 2024, so we are getting Bama, Vandy and probably Kentucky for sure too.

Also, losing to Bama has not cost us a single division title since 2007. We haven't been good enough for it to matter.

I understood Ubben's meaning perfectly. I am saying we may have to think of most SEC rivalries as not being annual in most cases going forward in 2025. I am not prepared to say that is the end of the CFB world.

I simply think having the chance to play the whole conference every 2 years can be groundbreaking for recruiting and it keeps the Conference more cohesive.
I hated the forced separations with the Western Division teams.
Will it be better? IDK. Maybe not, but I think it will be very good to play different teams more regularly. I am very stoked to see teams in Neyland that have become exotic attractions since the Conference went to Divisions.

Other members are more sensitive to the possible de-emphasis of annual rivalry games than I am. You guys don't like it. I totally get it.
I think it could be a good trade-off for something new, yet still playing most rivals every 2 years. It could be big for UT to decouple from Bama and play more good teams in the present West. It gives a good team a chance to not be in an automatic Helena Knife Fight with the World Champion knife fighter every single year.

Did losing to Bama cost us a Division title? maybe not, but my point was it might have cost either UGA or UF a few.

 

[SpookyAction]

I’m completely with you if we had a full conference schedule but we don’t.. we have 3 weak games that don’t matter. So now you are literally replacing the Bama or Florida game to add a ark or ole miss game
that’s dumb imo

I think UT and Aub being married to the two best teams in the nation every single season for almost a decade makes no sense.
I want to play everyone. I think that would be awesome.
Everyone will have very tough schedules over time. I like the 9 game schedule with only 1 permanent rival will make schedules more equal as seasons pass.

 

[VOLnMiami]

I don't understand Tennessee-South Carolina. No history there. Keep Kentucky over South Carolina. If not UK, keep Florida or Georgia.

Yeah if it came down to Kentucky or USCjr then yeah Kentucky is the clear choice in my eyes as there is history there...South Carolina means nothing to any of the other SEC schools...Thier only real rival is in the ACC in Clemson and they hold an almost 30 game lead in the series over them so nobody really gives a crap about USCjr.

 

[livefaith]

Glad they dumped the divisions. Love only 1 permanent opponent. It'll be weird not playing Bama eventually, but make it great without compromise is a better idea IMO. Plus, now we get to play a more wide ranging schedule in conference instead of the same slate year after year decade after decade. I mean have we not played Kensucky and USCjr enough times in a row since 1992. Geeeesh, all the great possibilities and the 1/2 our schedule the same for decades! Glad for LESS games at 8 too. Now if they will dump the repetitive SECCG and allow another solid OOC opponent on the schedule, I'd be pumped.

This would be a great schedule just off the cuff ... many more better than current ...

1. UVA
2. Eastern KY
3. TAMU
4. South AL
5. Ole Miss
6. UGA
7. Arkansas
8. Mizzou
9. TN Tech
10. Texas
11. UF
12. Candy

... overall, I'm glad it's changing.

 

[Vol865]

Simple solution. P5 conference champs with no more than 2 losses get an automatic bid, BCS picks the rest. Take human bias out of the equation.

 

[mjf_vol]

Trust me, I lived in Birmingham years ago and Auburn fans were far worse than even the Alabama fans. I definitely don't have any love for them. Happy to see them get beat, especially by Tennessee.

Sadly it's rare we beat anyone but ourselves

 

[Tnphil]

This was posted on the other site....

Brent McMurphy
:

Teams playing at least 10 Power 5 opponents in 2023:

Big Ten 13 of 14
Big 12: 11 of 14
Pac-12: 10 of 12
ACC: 10 of 15
SEC: 2 of 14
4:57 PM · Jun 1, 2023
·
1.1M
Views

 

[Dougie_D]

Now that I think about it AND future expansions I think the permanent team is either going to be an In-State Team or something close enough. I’m not sure if the permanent team has to be from SEC??
permanent:
TN - Vandy
FL - FL ST (acc)
GA - (GA tech ( acc)
KY - (Louisvillle (acc)
MIZZOU- Arkansas
TX - TXam
LSU - (tulane (group of 5)
ole miss - miss
Oklahoma - okstate (Big12)
Auburn - Alabama
South Carolina - (Clemson (acc)

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Trust me, I lived in Birmingham years ago and Auburn fans were far worse than even the Alabama fans. I definitely don't have any love for them. Happy to see them get beat, especially by Tennessee.

I’ve always heard that Auburn fans were great and cordial to everyone. I was never treated worse by a fan base than when I went down there in 2003. They were brutal. Didn’t help that it Clausen’s only road loss his entire career.

 

[TrueOrange]

Well, I guess the bright side is that - out of the 9 votes that will be needed when the conference expands to 16 teams - there will likely already be 7 votes between all those schools. Now just 2 schools out of Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss would need to change their mind on the matter.

 

[Hyperion]

They need to go with the 3/6 model as soon as possible. I don't understand the point of expansion if it doesn't mean more conference games. The 3/6 protected traditional rivalries and allowed all teams to play each other with a great degree of frequency. Basically the best of both worlds for those who value history, those who value fair competition and it'd be great for the media providers who show the games.
For me personally, I always enjoyed the Arkansas game as it was always an annual game when I came of age. It had many spirited games and was a fun game. For others, they want to see more Auburn and Ole Miss games. This format would have done wonders for those of us who miss those games along with creating new matchups with Texas and Oklahoma. Even though it'd suck to lose the Georgia, Florida and Kentucky games on an annual basis, I think getting more Auburn, Ole Miss, LSU , Arkansas more often and true scheduling balance was absolutely worth it.

 

[TNHopeful505]

Throwing out rivalries is throwing out what made the SEC great. They'd be dumb to do it. They have to preserve a few. TSIO, Iron Bowl, Egg Bowl, Red River Rivalry, TX-A&M to say the least. The ones that historically have made football what they are.

I know Saban whines about getting Tennessee, LSU and Auburn every year, but the reality is, football is cyclical. There WILL come a time when Alabama is not on top of the world, same with Georgia or Florida, or whoever. It's all cyclical. The powers today may not be the powers in 10 years. So, I don't think it should matter now who is good and who is not. We've seen that every team in the SEC (with the exception of Vanderbilt) has the ability to at least compete for National Championships at some point in its history. The focus needs to be on keeping the rivalries intact (and therefore, the money), and increasing revenue for the schools.

If I'm Sankey? I'm gonna screw every rivalry in 2024 when I release the schedule, so that fans are pissed enough that they'll clamor for the schools to NEED to go to 9 games. Hopefully ESPN hears the demand and forks out the money for them. I think 9 games is great as long as rivalries are protected. And again, the reason it matters is that the rivalries have made college football what they are. Don't change what got you there.

 

[nickp91]

It’s just going to be so weird being without divisions since all my life all I’ve ever known is SEC West vs East

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I understood Ubben's meaning perfectly. I am saying we may have to think of most SEC rivalries as not being annual in most cases going forward in 2025. I am not prepared to say that is the end of the CFB world.

I simply think having the chance to play the whole conference every 2 years can be groundbreaking for recruiting and it keeps the Conference more cohesive.
I hated the forced separations with the Western Division teams.
Will it be better? IDK. Maybe not, but I think it will be very good to play different teams more regularly. I am very stoked to see teams in Neyland that have become exotic attractions since the Conference went to Divisions.

Other members are more sensitive to the possible de-emphasis of annual rivalry games than I am. You guys don't like it. I totally get it.
I think it could be a good trade-off for something new, yet still playing most rivals every 2 years. It could be big for UT to decouple from Bama and play more good teams in the present West. It gives a good team a chance to not be in an automatic Helena Knife Fight with the World Champion knife fighter every single year.

Did losing to Bama cost us a Division title? maybe not, but my point was it might have cost either UGA or UF a few.

Here's another quote from Sankey in the Tennessean. We'll find out June 14, but I wouldn't get my hopes up about Bama coming off the schedule anytime soon. Protecting core rivalries seems to have been the main thing there was agreement on among the members. Everything Greg Sankey said about 8-game SEC football schedule in 2024

 

[OrangeVolMan]

This was posted on the other site....

Brent McMurphy
:

Teams playing at least 10 Power 5 opponents in 2023:

Big Ten 13 of 14
Big 12: 11 of 14
Pac-12: 10 of 12
ACC: 10 of 15
SEC: 2 of 14
4:57 PM · Jun 1, 2023
·
1.1M
Views

This stat really means nothng. If you were playing a two game schedule would you rather play Georgia and Louisiana Tech or Northwestern and Virginia Tech? One schedule has two Power 5 opponents and ons has one. Which schedule has the higher probably of having the opponent go 2-0? We all know the answer.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Revamp the two divisions

West……………..…East

Arky……………..….. Auburn
LSU……………..….. Bama
M-State……………...Florida
Mizzou……………....Geogia
Oklahoma…………..Kentucky
Ole Miss…………….South Carolina
T-A&M……………..,,Tennessee
Texas……………..….Vandy

This is the most logical thing to do, which is exactly why they won't do it.

 

[TNHopeful505]

I hope Alabama's 2024 SEC schedule is as follows:
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
A&M
Oklahoma
Texas
Ole Miss
Auburn

And I hope they get destroyed.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Georgia’s 2024 and beyond required Power 5 opponents:

2024 Northwestern
2025 Duke
2026 Stanford
2027 Kansas
2028 Indiana
2029 Boston College
2030 Iowa State

 

[TNHopeful505]

Georgia’s 2024 and beyond required Power 5 opponents:

2024 Northwestern
2025 Duke
2026 Stanford
2027 Kansas
2028 Indiana
2029 Boston College
2030 Iowa State

Calling it now. Kansas with the upset in 2027. Leipold gets it done.

 

[TrueOrange]

Georgia’s 2024 and beyond required Power 5 opponents:

2024 Northwestern
2025 Duke
2026 Stanford
2027 Kansas
2028 Indiana
2029 Boston College
2030 Iowa State

Yeah got’em!…Well, except they’re already on the books for:

2024- Clemson, Georgia Tech
2025 - at UCLA, at Georgia Tech
2026 - UCLA, at Louisville, Georgia Tech
2027 - at Florida State, Louisville, at Georgia Tech
2028 - Florida State, Georgia Tech
2029 - at Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2030 - Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia Tech
2031 - at Ohio State, at Georgia Tech
2032 - Clemson, Georgia Tech
2033 - at Clemson, NC State, at Georgia Tech
2034 - at NC State, Georgia Tech

but otherwise, yeah!

 

[Sarms58]

I think we need 9 conference games and 1 game against another power 5 team each year - that's ten real opponents and five big time home games each year. For us, it would be nice to have 2-4 out of conference teams we rotate home and aways games with for that one power 5 game. I'd like to see us play Pitt, Miami (or Florida State), North Carolina, and UCLA (or California). And I'd like to keep more than 3 rivals - keep 5.

 

[WeeohdeeWood]

I'm for the old SEC but I'm old.

Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Georgia
Florida
Mississippi
Mississippi St
Kentucky

There's nothing south eastern about Texas, Texas AM, Oklahoma, Missouri or Arkansas. South Carolina can go back to the ACC.

 

[Kinglberry]

Idk it's hard for me to hate Auburn because they hate Bama as much as we do. I definitely don't wanna stop playing Bama before we start a streak of our own vs them.

A streak is a streak whether we play them every year or every other. I understand the enemy of my enemy, but I grew up hating both Alabama, that's why the chant is I don't give a F about the whole state of.