It’s not a sacrifice if the offset from the tv contract overwhelms it. And whether it does specifically for us or not doesn’t matter it’s about the entire conference. Largely our non con recently has sold tickets because most of those games have been prior to the start of seeing our weaknesses getting exposed so it’s been ‘win the game vs Fla.’ and everybody shows up in good weather to see us get to be 4-1 because of the hope in that. The more those games get staggered throughout the season the lower that attendance is going to be. Going to watch Ohio U at 3-4 mid year or 4-3 isn’t going to be a magnet.
"Evidence that a 9 game schedule is on the horizon "
- Thread starter jeffky
- Start date
Well if Kentucky is 9-3 per say...it depends on timing and quality of teams we beat.
Wins over
Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Louisville, @ Florida, VandyLosses: Georgia, @ Ole Miss, @ Texas
I think we'd have an outside shot at the playoff IMO.
-2021: we ended 9-3 and were #22 in the Final Ranking...a lot of that had to do with timing of our losses coming 3 in a row...then our remaining wins didn't elevate us at the time. Losing to UGA bad wasn't a killer...but then losing to Miss State & a UT team (that wasn't that good in 2021) all in a row really killed our momentum in the polls.
-2018: we were 9-3 and #14 in the final poll. #11 Team and lost to a UT team with a losing record....but unlike 2021 we didn't have a 3 game losing streak. After the Texas A&M loss....we had a bye....then beat Vandy & a really good Missouri team on the road to keep us from falling to far and got us in the top 10. Georgia wasn't a bad loss that year....UT was....but we spaced them out.
I think the eye test can tell a lot of things....like our 2018 team was a better team than 2021 due to the historic defense....2021 had some glaring flaws.
Now here's a 3rd example....2023 Missouri who finished 10-2....
-They played Memphis and Kansas State as their non-conference opponents
-Losses to LSU and Georgia were not bad losses
-Better record than our 2018 team and better resume tbh
-They finish #9 in the Final Playoff Poll & our 2018 team finished #14 with a worse record & resume
Missouri wasn't ranked to start the year....got ranked but then fell right out. They were unranked on October 14th when they played us. Finally get ranked and beat USCjr. the next week...but then fall a bit and after losing to UGA...even after blowing out UT they didn't rise too much.
The reason is that they weren't ranked early and they had a ceiling on how far the polls would let them rise....where you're ranked in the AP/Coaches poll early influences the playoff rankings heavily. Had Missouri started the year ranked #20....they would've finished higher in the polls.
Well if Kentucky is 9-3 per say...it depends on timing and quality of teams we beat.
Wins over
Losses: Georgia, @ Ole Miss, @ Texas
I think we'd have an outside shot at the playoff IMO.
-2021: we ended 9-3 and were #22 in the Final Ranking...a lot of that had to do with timing of our losses coming 3 in a row...then our remaining wins didn't elevate us at the time. Losing to UGA bad wasn't a killer...but then losing to Miss State & a UT team (that wasn't that good in 2021) all in a row really killed our momentum in the polls.
-2018: we were 9-3 and #14 in the final poll. #11 Team and lost to a UT team with a losing record....but unlike 2021 we didn't have a 3 game losing streak. After the Texas A&M loss....we had a bye....then beat Vandy & a really good Missouri team on the road to keep us from falling to far and got us in the top 10. Georgia wasn't a bad loss that year....UT was....but we spaced them out.
I think the eye test can tell a lot of things....like our 2018 team was a better team than 2021 due to the historic defense....2021 had some glaring flaws.
Now here's a 3rd example....2023 Missouri who finished 10-2....
-They played Memphis and Kansas State as their non-conference opponents
-Losses to LSU and Georgia were not bad losses
-Better record than our 2018 team and better resume tbh
-They finish #9 in the Final Playoff Poll & our 2018 team finished #14 with a worse record & resume
Missouri wasn't ranked to start the year....got ranked but then fell right out. They were unranked on October 14th when they played us. Finally get ranked and beat USCjr. the next week...but then fall a bit and after losing to UGA...even after blowing out UT they didn't rise too much.
The reason is that they weren't ranked early and they had a ceiling on how far the polls would let them rise....where you're ranked in the AP/Coaches poll early influences the playoff rankings heavily. Had Missouri started the year ranked #20....they would've finished higher in the polls.
That first sentence is exactly what I have been saying, quality of teams you beat. You have Louisville listed in wins, but none of the G5 teams. But also talking 8 game SEC schedules.
TCU wasn't ranked in the 22 preseason coaches poll, but made the playoffs. As things turned out they probably shouldn't have been there but there they were. And they certainly aren't one of the big boy teams.
Nothing anyone says here is going to determine who plays who, I do expect the SEC office to "encourage" it's members to add at least 1 opponent from one of the other power conferences because to get all the money from TV contract, which dwarfs ticket sales, the conference will have to provide as many high profile games as possible.
I'm fine with adding more non-conference games, but the playoffs/polls need to reflect the difference in playing in the SEC/Big Ten versus the ACC & Big 12. Like I'm fine with an undefeated FSU/Clemson level teams being in those spots....but 1 & 2 loss teams like Louisville, UNC, NC State, Pitt, etc. that just have had an easy schedule don't need to be ranked high just for having a good record.
They need to be more like the NCAA basketball committee in terms of looking at analytics and strength of schedule.
Wrong, UL was saved by playing WKU and EKU. Back in the days schools had to average 17000 in home game attendance. Those schools played UL and there attendance was slightly higher than 17000 with the alumni from WKU and EKU filling up the old fairground stadium. Otherwise U6 would have been division 2 with the OVC. Then Howard came to town.
I’m not so sure IU’s membership in the B10 would carry much weight given IU’s historical failures. They’ve never won 10 games in a season, Only Iowa State and Vandy can claim that level of mediocrity among long-term P5 schools.
I'd take Iowa State out for now....although they haven't had a 10 win season....2020 they went 9-3 overall with a top 10 finish and Fiesta Bowl win. Under Matt Campbell they've made a bowl game 6 of the last 7 seasons.
Even though it was the COVID year, 2020 they only got to play 1 non-conference game and then 11 other games against Power 5 teams. I would give them that year as that was a strong team. Remember, they lost the Big 12 title game by 6 points. It was very much in play that they could've gotten the #4 seed that year had 1-2 different things happened that last week. I have to give them that year.
That same week...Ohio State was on the verge of losing to Northwestern and Clemson could've lost to Notre Dame....they would've jumped them both to make the playoff. It didn't happen, but that's an elite season.
I’m all for 9 SEC games + UL.
If we get to play Vandy twice each year.
One year both games in Lex, other year one game in Lex and the other in Titans stadium.
Pay Vandy a little extra. Why not?
(yes, j/k)
If we get to play Vandy twice each year.
One year both games in Lex, other year one game in Lex and the other in Titans stadium.
Pay Vandy a little extra. Why not?
(yes, j/k)
Lots of false rumors out there about what is going to happen. A week ago, a UF insider said FSU was just waiting for the BIG to announce they and CU were new members of the BIG, 99% done. Now this week, the BIG says they are not getting an invite, Sankey said SEC has no interest in them, Now BIg12 is ready to add FSU, CU and 4 more teams to the Big12. Big 12 is almost actively recruiting them, ACC is looking at taking legal action against Big12 for tampering. Don't see how ACC can survive if 6 members leave.
If ACC collapses and UV, UNC, NCST, DUKE, Miami, Wake, VT become eligible alone with the new members of the conference. Who will the SEC absorb and the BIG? I think the 2 prizes are UF and UNC, how would UK feel about UNC? UGA hasn't been competitive in BB in a long time, so not a real rivalry with either but UK and UNC are BB rivals correct? Would they be welcomed or would UK be upset? I don't think anyone in the conference looks at UV as a rival. But those are the 2 prizes I have read that SEC would have at top of list. Tech left the conference because of a conflict with Bear and Bama over scholarships, which was taken care of later but don't think they would get the votes for old members who remember when that happened.
Of course if CU and FSU can't break away from ACC none of the above happens.
If ACC collapses and UV, UNC, NCST, DUKE, Miami, Wake, VT become eligible alone with the new members of the conference. Who will the SEC absorb and the BIG? I think the 2 prizes are UF and UNC, how would UK feel about UNC? UGA hasn't been competitive in BB in a long time, so not a real rivalry with either but UK and UNC are BB rivals correct? Would they be welcomed or would UK be upset? I don't think anyone in the conference looks at UV as a rival. But those are the 2 prizes I have read that SEC would have at top of list. Tech left the conference because of a conflict with Bear and Bama over scholarships, which was taken care of later but don't think they would get the votes for old members who remember when that happened.
Of course if CU and FSU can't break away from ACC none of the above happens.
My answer is both B10 and SEC commissioners are keeping everything tight lipped on future expansion concerning CU and FSU.
Quit being an azz........Grumpy was just using an analogy. It's fans like you who make UK fans look bad.
Pulling out of the UL series makes UK look like bunch of wussies, we're already made fun of because our only OCC P4 game is UL, while almost every other SEC team plays at least one and sometimes two good P4 teams as OCC.
How can UK ever gain respect in our conference if all we want to do is play inferior G5 or lower teams? Not to mention as high as season tics are now, who wants to pay all that money to have 3 of our 7 or 8 home games against inferior teams that excite no one. I want to see great games, WIN or LOSE, the only way to improve and climb the ladder is by playing better competition, playing and manhandling inferior teams is FOOLS GOLD, always has been. Two patsies and one P4 team like rival UL is beneficial to UK no matter how much you think it isn't. Are we scared of UL? If not then play them every year or replace them with another P4 team, but not another inferior G5 or lower team. Respect is earned and when we play good OCC teams and win and also start beating every now and then Ole Miss, aTm, UGA ( don't laugh USCjr has), UT, and a few other top 6 coference foes, only then will UK starting getting true respect. UK fans are always crying we get disrespected by the media and other fans, well......we've not fully earned it yet. We're slowly getting there but we have to take that next step up
Please link where someone is making fun of us. And who cares?
Let's look at a couple SEC schools on our level.
1) South Carolina plays Old Dominion, Akron, Wofford and Clemson
2) Missouri plays Murray, Buffalo, Boston College, and Mass-Amherst
3) Arkansas plays Arkansas Pine Bluff, Oklahoma St., UAB, Louisiana Tech
4) Auburn plays Alabama A&M, California, New Mexico, La.-Monroe
5) Miss St. plays EKU, Arizona St., Toledo, and Mass-Amherst
6) Ole Miss plays Furman, Middle Tenn., Wake Forest, Georgia Southern
Kentucky plays S. Miss, Ohio, Murray and UL. What is the difference in current schedules.
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Us dropping UofL would be like a tree falling in a Kentucky forest...none of the other SEC schools would care.
Totally wrong as a fan. What is everything to them??? We have destroyed them 5 of the last 6 years. Their fans still clammer in our ears they have the better program. Then Thanksgiving arrives. With beating them they still clammer and Yap. Without playing them, they will be Kings of us in their minds. Ohhhh if we could only play Kentucky. We would destroy them now.
You want to listen to that and go 8-5 Instead of 7-4 ?
Give me a win over the birdbrains every day over, Arkansas, Auburn, MissSt. And all the other middle pack SEC teams.
You say it means everything to them??? Actually, we have knocked them out of 2 New Year’s Day bowls by beating them their last game with their cream puff schedule and putrid conference. So, I’m guessing it doesn’t.
If Louisville starts playing a schedule comparable to ours then I’ll be more than happy keeping them. What I don’t like is us playing a top ten schedule every year for the foreseeable future and them having a cakewalk then adding another potential toss up game on an already brutal schedule, then we look over and they’re playing Boston College types every week.
And for people saying, well that’s chicken of UK to back out, I mean, what do you want? Do you literally just want UK to play the top 12 teams in the country every year? Why do we keep coming up with these arbitrary numbers. Why is ten tough games and two cupcakes the magic formula, heck let’s just go all the way and play 12 tough games, since that’s apparently what we’re doing with these arbitrary toughness measures.
Until the schedules across conferences become somewhat comparable, UK needs to look out for its best interests.
And for people saying, well that’s chicken of UK to back out, I mean, what do you want? Do you literally just want UK to play the top 12 teams in the country every year? Why do we keep coming up with these arbitrary numbers. Why is ten tough games and two cupcakes the magic formula, heck let’s just go all the way and play 12 tough games, since that’s apparently what we’re doing with these arbitrary toughness measures.
Until the schedules across conferences become somewhat comparable, UK needs to look out for its best interests.
If we win with a 9 game SEC schedule, and don’t play UL, we can get to where we want to be.
I mean obviously but winning big with an 8 game, much less 9 game, sec schedule has always been an issue with UK. The NIL gap and the majority of opponents always having more talent makes it a struggle.
