It's kind of difficult now, but I've looked over the schedules just a bit.
You can find the grid here.
One key to pay attention to is when CBS sets up doubleheaders. Recently they've had two doubles and one triple. It all depends. But let's sort of work through a bit of it.
SEPTEMBER 15
Alabama/Ole Miss
Ark/UNT
Auburn/LSU
Florida/Colo St (the McElwain Used To Coach Us Bowl)
UGA/MTSU
UK/Murray St
MSU/ULL
Mizzou/Purdue
SCAR/Marshall
Tenn/UTEP
ATM/ULM
Vandy/N Dame
OK, I'd rate LSU/Auburn as the most likely CBS game. The one that makes everyone shake is that for some reason ESPN LOVES to pick this Tide game for the dreaded 8pm kickoff (2010, 2012, 2015, 2017). You have 50/50 odds of it being then based on recent years. The only thing that might save us is that none of the other games are that good so - hopefully - 615p.
SEPTEMBER 22
Alabama/ATM
Arky/Auburn
Florida/Tenn
UGA/Mizzou
MSU/Kentucky
La Tech/LSU
Kent St/Ole Miss
SCAR/Vandy
I can tell you right now that the CBS 230 game will either be us or UF/Tenn. If they opt for the doubleheader, I'd bet we're on at 230. In fact, I suspect we're the 230 game anyway, esp with Jimbo being there and all the excitement. Last year was the only time UA/ATM hasn't been the 230 game, and that's because CBS had already picked the game when LSU lost to Troy. I think had ATM been undefeated at that point, they may well have taken our game.
If not then we'll be the 615 ESPN game. That's not great, but it narrows it down a lot.
SEPTEMBER 29
Alabama/ULL
If I'm a betting man, this is probably the 11am early game. The CBS pick will either be UGA/Tenn (probably) or Ole Miss-LSU. Arky/ATM is also a possibility.
OCTOBER 6
Alabama/Arky
Auburn/MSU
LSU/Florida
UGA/Vandy
ATM/UK
ULM/Ole Miss
SCAR/Mizzou
You can probably bet the mortgage on LSU/Florida on CBS. Only if both implode badly early and Arky is unbeaten will we get that slot. Looking at it, I'm suspecting 615p on ESPN.
OCTOBER 13
Alabama/Mizzou
Ole Miss/Arky
Auburn/Tenn
Florida/Vandy
UGA/LSU
ATM/SCAR
The CBS pick is likely either UGA/LSU or Auburn/Tenn but this one really is a toss-up. We COULD be the choice with that Heisman candidate they have. I doubt it, though.
OCTOBER 20
Third Saturday in October
Arky/Tulsa
Ole Miss/Auburn
Vandy/UK
MSU/LSU
Memphis/Mizzou
I would say odds are greater than 95% that we play on CBS at 230 this day. In fact, I'd say greater than 99%.
OCTOBER 27
Florida/UGA - guarantee you this is the 230 game
NOVEMBER 3
Alabama/LSU - will be the prime time CBS game like always
NOVEMBER 10
Alabama/MSU
LSU/Arky
Auburn/UGA
SCAR/Florida
Tenn/UK
ATM/Ole Miss
Vandy/Mizzou
Odds are above 90% that Auburn-UGA is the pick. Only an implosion by one team this year and a contending MSU team (fat chance) would have the chance at changing it and possibly if LSU/Arky had great years as it is a rivalry.
Most probable? between 6 and 7pm.
NOVEMBER 17
Alabama/the Citadel
Who cares?
NOVEMBER 24
Iron Bowl
Ark/Mizzou
FSU/Florida
Georgia/Tech
UK/Louisville
ATM/LSU
Egg Bowl - on Thanksgiving Day
Clemson/SCAR
Tenn/Vandy
Odds are that one of the games will get moved forward to Friday.
About 80% that it's the Iron Bowl at 230 on CBS. Notice anything?
CBS - 2000-02, 2004-06, 2008-2013, 2015-2017
ESPN - 2003, 2007, 2014
(Yes, I know the 09 and 10 games were on Friday).
I may be wrong, but I think there's a limit and we had already played five games on CBS in 2014.
We were an awful team in 2003 and Auburn wasn't all that great, either.
But notice that the IB is still on CBS most of the time if the teams are terrible. I was at the 2012 game that we smoked them, 49-0.
Even three-win Alabama in 2000 was on CBS.
So odds are good here, too.