"SEC may switch some permanent opponents for 2013 football schedule"

There needs to be some changes now that 14 teams are involved. I still think we should go to a 10 game SEC schedule which would allow us to play everyone every four years. Six division, 1 permanent and three rotating every 2 years.

nevermind

JPT4Bama said:

There needs to be some changes now that 14 teams are involved. I still think we should go to a 10 game SEC schedule which would allow us to play everyone every four years. Six division, 1 permanent and three rotating every 2 years.

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I like it.

You have my vote too! Sounds like the most logical answer! RTR

As long as we are at 14 teams, we will never go to a 10 game conference schedule. Coaches won't let it happen. 9 maybe, but not 10.

Yeah, a 10 game conference schedule is never going to happen, especially since 3 teams have permanent out of conference opponents (UGA-GT, UF-FSU, USC-Clemson).

A 9 game conference schedule MAY happen, but even that is a stretch.

This will be an unpopular post. Since we've bastardized everything else resembling tradition in the SEC since 1990, I think it is time to let the permanent rivals concept go. Meaning, the preservation of historic if somewhat diminished-in-prominence rivalries of four teams should not outweigh the competitive balance and overall well-being of a conference with 10 other members. Teams must rotate their out of division games equally among the other divisions within the format provided to ensure that irregularities in competitive balance are minimized. Why should Florida and LSU be forced to play what is in many years a de facto playoff game and the overall competitive gradient of the conference be kept off-kilter just to preserve a couple of not-so-relevant third-tier rivalries?

An adjunct to the above is that should the aforementioned teams feel unable to go through life without confronting all of their 'rivals' annually, they should feel free to schedule them OUT OF CONFERENCE in years in which they do not naturally fall on the conference schedule. That said, being generous in the extreme, I'd allow that in those years where the rivals play out of conference, these games should count as conference championship tie-breakers, all other things being equal.

The other, ultimately more stable option is to add two teams and divide into four divisions, which would provide much more flexibility with scheduling these rivalry games. That may even allow a system where some teams had permanent rivals and others did not, according to their taste. Of course, a four division system would also present a two-step playoff to the SEC championship.

Let me also make clear at this point that the historic context or traditional importance of any particular team's cross-division rivalry is no concern of mine. If we have trod this far down the high-tech playoff path already in pursuit of the dollars and the glory let's go the final mile and leave the outdated past behind. Or if tradition is all that matters let's try to get Georgia Tech, Sewanee, and Tulane back in the conference and drop these Johnny-come-latelies like a hot potato.

Based on what I hear from my Gator friends the last few years, the desire of LSU and FL to not be permanent rivals is mutual. :wink:

There will be some re-shuffling with the two new teams, and if we go to a 16 team super-conference configuration, there will be more changes. Keep in mind, some of the other AD's are trying to figure out how to fill their stadiums, so they want matchups people will come to see. In some cases, that means keeping established rivalries, in other cases they may need to create new ones. It's not just about tradition, it's economics, too.

I do not care about "historic" rivalries much any more. To me at this point a 10 game conference schedule would be the best way to proceed. If the GA-GT or FL-FL St and USC-CU gotta go, then so be it. With 14 teams times have indeed changed and like EastLAGator said, (I think) the historic rivalry context has run it's course. Few here may remember we've played GA Tech for over 50 years but no one seems to miss them now. Do they?

Ten games gives 5 home and 5 away and 2 to do whatever with. If FL wants to continue with FL St then by all means do it. Same with any other in state non conference game.

I don't like the idea of a 9 game conference schedule and neither will fans in the years you have only 4 home games. Makes no sense. Going to 10 will still allow everyone 7 home games while now we always play 7 while most everyone else has played 8.

In the end money will decide and the fan will like it or lump it.

I don't think the SEC will or should go to a greater number of conference games unless the whole NCAA makes a move to require the same number of all conferences. It has the potential of putting the conference at a disadvantage.


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The tradition argument might be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. If tradition is so important why were Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M, & Missouri even allowed into the conference? Tradition was out the window in 1992. if the SEC coaches (except Saban of course) are so hell bent on keeping the 8 game schedule the permanent rivals needs to go. It would be 10 years before we play teams from the East.

I would love to see the annual Bama/Tenn terminated. Playing us is about the only thing that keeps them relevant. Said from an old timer's point of view - not just thinking about the past few years. I haven't ever really "felt" the tradition of playing them regularly. Heck, I take out the trash regularly, too.

Bamabuzzard said:

I hear it all the time from LSU folks around here. They cry because they have to play Florida every year as their permanent game compared to us which is Tennessee and it's "not fair" because Tennessee sucks. My response is you can't make these type schedules based who's "good" and "bad" at the time because it can quickly change. Then what? Change it again? What happens if/when Florida or LSU hit a slump and Tennessee hires a new coach and becomes very competitive again? What then? Will it then be "unfair" to Alabama? I doubt anybody on the Florida or LSU side will be crying in their tea about how "unfair" that is to Bama.

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EXACTLY.

Although, I wouldn't necessarily care to lose the Tennessee game. I'd rather drop Auburn and keep Tennessee to be quite honest though.

Do away with divisions.
Every team play four permanent rivals.
Eight game SEC schedule.
Every team plays every other team at least twice every five years.
Top two teams play for Championship.

A 10 game schedule is the best way to go.

Take for instance Alabama:
They will play 6 games every year against the SEC West (Auburn, Arky, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St, and Texas A&M)
They will play one game every year against a permanent East Division team (Tennessee)
They will play 3 games every year against rotating East Division Teams (2 year rotation) Example: SC, KY, Vandy for two years and UGA, Florida, and Missouri for two years.

With this schedule, you would play every team at least twice in a 4 year period.
It will still allow for 2 non-conference games per year that you could do as you wish.
Of course this makes too much sense, but I would like to see it. As a season ticket holder, I am tired of the Fla International, Western Ky, Georgia Southern, Ga. State, and Western Carolina games that we have played the past few years. I want to see more SEC games.

jabcmb said:

I would love to see the annual Bama/Tenn terminated. Playing us is about the only thing that keeps them relevant.

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The same could be said for the Auburn game as well.

I like what Coach Saban says:

Over a 4 year span everyone should have played everyone.

We need to stop these bye weeks before Bama for Everyone & Jawga & API going a season with ALL Home games.

I would be a okay with us NEVER playing API again.

There is no up side for Bama.