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Will the SEC really go to a 9 game schedule?

  • With the SEC on the cusp of adding more teams, many commentators are assuming that the league will go from an 8 to a 9 SEC game schedule. While this might not seem like a big deal on the surface, I think that it could be a VERY big deal to the middle and bottom tier teams in the league fighting each year just for bowl eligibility. It could also adversely affect the lower tier bowls affiliated with the SEC because some of those bowl eligible 6-6 SEC teams are now 5-7 and rather than being on an SEC fan base to sell tickets for their bowl, they have to look to other leagues for eligible teams.

    I can see adding 14 teams, keeping the number of games to 8 and reducing the out of divisions from 3 to 2, but if you go to 16 teams, how can you make it work with 8 games when you have traditional games with the other division that teams want to keep such as Auburn-Georgia or Alabama-Tennessee?

    And if you go to 9 SEC games, we can forget about complaining about going to minor bowls, because we probably won't be going again anyway.

    Tominlex

  • I hope not. I actually like things the way they are now. Expansion is kind of exciting, but I don't see it working in our favor at all.

    BigTyrone

  • This is why I think they'll hold at 14, at least for the near future. Like the OP said, with a 14 team league you can stay with an 8 game schedule. A 16 team league (any league) opens up a whole new batch of issues. I think for that to happen, the NCAA will have to change the 1-game conference championship rule (I'm pretty sure that exists anyways biggrin).

    Delirium

  • Would not be a wise move. As it is, a SEC team that goes undefeated is extremely fortunate. Adding a ninth conference contest, and dropping a cupcake OOC, puts strain not only on the elite of the league, but especially the mid and lower tier teams. Most need that 4th OOC game to gain bowl eligibility. And, I believe, the ultimate fallout would be that no SEC team would schedule a major BCS foe. You would see every league team schedule 3 big-time cupcakes as OOC foes.

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    alphacat93

  • I think you'll see a 9 game SEC schedule whether they go 14-16 teams.

    As good as as a Tex AM, WVA or Va Tech is they don't play anywhere near a current SEC schedule. Once these teams start getting beat up every week that will have an affect.

    bigbluemist

  • bigbluemist said...

    I think you'll see a 9 game SEC schedule whether they go 14-16 teams.

    As good as as a Tex AM, WVA or Va Tech is they don't play anywhere near a current SEC schedule. Once these teams start getting beat up every week that will have an affect.

    Agree. It will be about making the league even more attractive for the next TV rights deal.

    It's going to be tough for UK. That's why I think the UofL series may be forced into "occasional" status instead of annual.

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    Jeff Drummond

  • I they go to 14 teams (with two, seven-team divisions), you migth get away with an 8 game schedule if you played all six teams in your division and two rotating teams in the other divison - you'd have to drop the permanent opponent from the other divison (in UK's case -MSU).

    If they went to 16 teams (with two, 8-team divisions), you would almost certainly have to go to a nine game schedule, because you would play the other seven teams in your division and two in the other division (only playing one opposite division team would mean you there would be 14 years between when a team rolls off your schedule an back on).

    If they went to a sixteen- team league (with four, 4-team divisions), you could get away with a seven, eight or nine-game schedule.

    snarkster

  • Jeff Drummond said...
    . That's why I think the UofL series may be forced into "occasional" status instead of annual.

    Some KY politicians may not like that.

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