How on earth do we have to go 9 YRS before getting to play South Carolina in the rotation??(last time we played them was 5 yrs ago)
I just don't see how not playing South Carolina negatively impacts Alabama one tiny bit. If they're good enough Alabama can play them in the SECCG. If they're not? Who cares?
The cost of a ninth conference game will likely be taking an even closer look at OOC games. I mean, Alabama schedules some tough ones, but even last year, in which West Virginia was considered relatively weak for an OOC opponent, Alabama had the #2 SoS. If Alabama had say FSU or USC and a ninth conference game? It would be beyond ridiculous. As it was, the tough schedule didn't really do Alabama any favors, it just made it tougher. Alabama would have been in a playoff with a far easier schedule. So I'm not seeing any tangible benefit, at least with OOC Alabama gets a choice of where it is played and who they play.
I get that Saban holds both positions, but... like his comments after the SECCG (about it being overlooked now, which it is), I think once he's faced with reality the change might not be so nice.