SEC will be 8 games no divisions in 2024

[crimsonaudio]

This is an absolute STUPID decision. Is it true we'll have 7 rotators and 1 permanent rival?
We all need to descend on the SEC office tomorrow morning at 10:00 and not let them out until they change it to 7-2 escalating to 8-2 future format. WTH is my game turning into? I hate to admit it, but my interest is fading and turning into hateful frustration.

It's for ONE SEASON. They'll revisit this next year and see where things stand then.

I'd prefer a nine-game format, but goodness, the SEC is already the toughest conference in the game, so it's not like anyone else has a tougher route than your average SEC team, regardless as to whether or not they play an additional game against a powerhouse like Rutgers or Northwestern...

 

[crimsonaudio]

The narrative is the SEC plays cupcake non-conference schedules, and they can use this to further said narrative.

Who cares? Five different SEC teams have combined to win 13 of the last 17 titles (three from the ACC, one from the B1G).

Let them talk - until their schools figure out how to field a competitive team after battling through a schedule consisting of conference games against killers like Indiana, Rutgers, and Maryland, I consider it mindless yammering...

 

[BamaMoon]

This is an absolute STUPID decision. Is it true we'll have 7 rotators and 1 permanent rival?
We all need to descend on the SEC office tomorrow morning at 10:00 and not let them out until they change it to 7-2 escalating to 8-2 future format. WTH is my game turning into? I hate to admit it, but my interest is fading and turning into hateful frustration.

Step back from the ledge. It's one season for now.

I've heard we didn't vote in favor of the 9 game schedule for two reasons:

1. We already had home and home with other P5 teams previously scheduled
2. We didn't like the news of possibly getting stuck with three permanents in UT, AU and LSU, which would have made most years murderous row with the other teams that would rotate into our schedule.

I'm not sure which OR if both are true, but CNS has long been on record for being in favor of a 9 game conference schedule and I can't imagine a scenario where it doesn't expand assuming it can be done equitably (and that should mean no team gets 3 permanent rivals that are all part of the upper echelon of SEC teams).

Makes more historical sense for us to get AU, UT, and a team like Vandy, MSU or Ole Miss.

 

[We_are_Bama]

It is a VERY real possibility that the Iron Bowl could be the season opener. While it is pretty much a lock that certain rivalry games (IB being one of them) will remain intact, there are NO promises that said rivalry games will keep their traditional dates.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Step back from the ledge. It's one season for now.

I've heard we didn't vote in favor of the 9 game schedule for two reasons:

1. We already had home and home with other P5 teams previously scheduled
2. We didn't like the news of possibly getting stuck with three permanents in UT, AU and LSU, which would have made most years murderous row with the other teams that would rotate into our schedule.

I'm not sure which OR if both are true, but CNS has long been on record for being in favor of a 9 game conference schedule and I can't imagine a scenario where it doesn't expand assuming it can be done equitably (and that should mean no team gets 3 permanent rivals that are all part of the upper echelon of SEC teams.

Makes more historical sense for us to get AU, UT, and a team like Vandy, MSU or Ole Miss.

MSU makes the most sense because of proximity

 

[BamaMoon]

It is a VERY real possibility that the Iron Bowl could be the season opener. While it is pretty much a lock that certain rivalry games (IB being one of them) will remain intact, there are NO promises that said rivalry games will keep their traditional dates.

I"ll go on record and say I'd love to see an earlier IB played. Maybe not the first conference game, but earlier would be better than late IMO!

 

[BamaMoon]

MSU makes the most sense because of proximity

I believe we've played MSU more than any other conference game IIRC.

Until the east/west divisions in 92 I think Vandy was right there too.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

This is an absolute STUPID decision. Is it true we'll have 7 rotators and 1 permanent rival?
We all need to descend on the SEC office tomorrow morning at 10:00 and not let them out until they change it to 7-2 escalating to 8-2 future format. WTH is my game turning into? I hate to admit it, but my interest is fading and turning into hateful frustration.

They said there will be a secondary rival also. It's a one-year thing before they revaluate it again.

 

[GP for Bama]

Since Bama pointed out that the three permanent opponents of a nine game schedule should be fair and equitable between all teams.... well we could pay a price. I would not be surprised if Sankey retaliates by making the Bama 2024 schedule much tougher than all others.

 

[CoolBreeze]

I was curious how a 9 game schedule would look. Simply, if you list the schools as they finished the SEC the previous year, plug them into 4 groups and schedule accordingly (no rivals) then you get some good matchups. In this model, group members do not play one another. Below is just for fun -

Group A	1-Alabama	16,15,14,13,12,11,10,8,7
4 x D	2-Georgia	16,15,14,13,11,10,9,8,7
3 x C	3-LSU	16,15,14,13,12,10,9,6,5
2 x B	4-Tennessee	16,15,14,13,11,12,9,6,5
Group B	5-Texas	9,10,11,12,16,15,14,3,4
4 x C	6-Oklahoma	9,10,11,12,15,14,13,3,4
3 x D	7-Auburn	9,10,11,12,14,13,16,1,2
2 x A	8-Texas A&M	9,10,11,12,13,16,15,1,2
Group C	9-Kentucky	5,6,7,8,2,3,4,16,15
4 x B	10-Mississippi	5,6,7,8,1,2,3,15,14
3 x A	11-South Carolina	5,6,7,8,1,2,4,14,13
2 x D	12-Mississippi State	5,6,7,8,1,3,4,13,16
Group D	13-Florida	1,2,3,4,6,7,8,11,12
4 x A	14-Arkansas	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10,11
3 x B	15-Missouri	1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10
2 x C	16-Vanderbilt	1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,12

UA- Vandy / Mizzou / ARK / UF / MSU / USC / Miss / TAMU / AU

UGA- Vandy / Mizzou / ARK / UF / USC / Miss / UK / TAMU / AU

LSU- Vandy / Mizzou / ARK / UF / MSU / Miss / UK / OU / Texas

UT- Vandy / Mizzou / ARK / UF / USC / MSU / UK / OU / Texas

Texas- UK / Miss / USC / MSU / Vandy / Mizzou / ARK / LSU / UT

OU- UK / Miss / USC / MSU / Mizzou / ARK / UF / LSU / UT

AU- UK / Miss / USC / MSU / ARK / UF / Vandy / UA / UGA

TAMU- UK / Miss / USC / MSU / UF / Vandy / Mizzou / UA / UGA

UK- Texas / OU / AU / TAMU / UGA / LSU / UT / Mizzou / Vandy

Miss- Texas / OU / AU / TAMU / UA / UGA / LSU / Mizzou / ARK

USC- Texas / OU / AU / TAMU / UA / UGA / UT / ARK / UF

MSU- Texas / OU / AU / TAMU / UA / LSU / UT / UF / Vandy

UF- UA / UGA / LSU / UT / OU / AU / TAMU / USC / MSU

ARK- UA / UGA / LSU / UT / Texas / OU / AU / Miss / USC

Mizzou- UA / UGA / LSU / UT / Texas / OU / TAMU / UK / Miss

Vandy- UA / UGA / LSU / UT / Texas / AU / TAMU / UK / MSU

 

[colbysullivan]

Who cares? Five different SEC teams have combined to win 13 of the last 17 titles (three from the ACC, one from the B1G).

Let them talk - until their schools figure out how to field a competitive team after battling through a schedule consisting of conference games against killers like Indiana, Rutgers, and Maryland, I consider it mindless yammering...

I certainly don’t care. The poster I responded to ask why the media keeps saying the SEC plays weak schedules and the answer is that’s their narrative. It’s completely without logic but again, who cares.