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Future SEC FB Schedule

TheBlueMax

Junior
Jan 1, 2003
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Kentucky
This would be constructed using a concept similar to high school "block" scheduling. Instead of two different days in school, you have a rotation of two years. It features a nine game SEC schedule with alternating years for home/away games, i.e., play five home games one year and the next season play only four at home. It would also feature playing three tradition rivals who you would play every year. You play every team every two years. I like having three non-conference games--we know one will be Louisville, and that would leave two opponents (MAC, in-state school, etc) you can play without returning the visit to their place. For us, here is what it would look like:

UK FB Schedule

Nine SEC Games per yr

Yr 1: 5 (H) and 4 (A) + 3 Non-conference opponents
Year 2: 4 (H) and 5 (A) + 3 Non-conference opponents

Games every year against Three Traditional Rivals (TTR) - Yr 1: Vandy (H), Tenn (A), UGa (H) Yr 2: Vandy (A), Tenn (H), UGa (A)
Plus the following SEC games:
Yr 1 - Texas, Tex A&M, Miss St (H) Alabama, Ole Miss, USC (A)
Yr 2 - Auburn, Mizzou, Fla (H) LSU, Ark, OU (A)

Hypothetical Yr 1 Non-Conf + SEC Schedule

Eastern Michigan - HOME
Western Kentucky - HOME
USC - Away
Texas A&M - HOME
Tennessee - Away
Ole Miss - Away
Texas - HOME
Miss St - HOME
Alabama - Away
Vanderbilt - HOME
Georgia - HOME
Louisville - Away

Yr 2 Non-Conf + SEC Schedule
Kent St - HOME
EKU - HOME
Missouri - HOME
Arkansas - Away
Oklahoma - Away
Tennessee - HOME
LSU - Away
Auburn - HOME
Florida - HOME
Vanderbilt - Away
Georgia - Away
Louisville - HOME

The only question mark is about our three traditional rivals. Some might substitute Florida for Georgia, but using distance as a criterion, Georgia would get the nod. I think a ten-game SEC schedule is too much, and this at least would permit every team to visit Lexington every four years instead of every 12. Initial overall schedules would take into account power rating for each program, and this design reflects that also, i.e., each group of three teams above would grade out about even. This schedule also ensures seven home games played every year, vice a eight-at-home, six-at-home schedule (because of Louisville)

Let's look at Vanderbilt's hypothetical schedule by comparison:

TTR: Yr 1: UK (A), Tenn (H), Florida (A) Yr 2: UK (H), Tenn (A), Florida (H)

Army - HOME
Alabama - HOME
Florida - Away
UT-Martin - HOME
Miss St - Away
Texas - Away
Ole Miss - HOME
Middle Tenn St - HOME
Texas A&M - Away
Kentucky - Away
USC - HOME
Tennessee - HOME

Interesting to contemplate...the obvious limitation by adding a SEC game is that it limits big-time out of conference matchups. Even teams like Alabama and LSU will choose to play programs who will not expect a return visit, otherwise they would be looking at a six-home game season instead of seven; however, some teams may find the eight home game/six home game cycle every two years to be attractive instead of a guarantee of seven home games every year. I think the SEC should adopt this (and send me a check!!). So, what do you think? There are bound to be detractors out there...what say you?
 
If we really are going to an eight, or a ten, or a 12-team playoff and if we want more SEC teams getting into the playoffs, now is a time to REDUCE in-conference matchups. Tease. Take rivalry matchups away. Make fans drool. Have the SEC title game be like the CFP and have an arbitrary ranking system for SEC teams only. Top two teams go to the SEC title game. My plan is the pods. Three in-pod games and one out-of-pod game for a total of four SEC games. The rest of each school’s schedule is up to each institution. Theoretically we could have multiple undefeated teams not even in the SEC title game! This is the way to go right now!!! It just means MORE!!!
 
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So, what do you think?

Took a lot of work to come up with that.

It will take some effort to preserve the traditional rivalries.

It occurred to me when driving that the Red River Rivalry will now be an SEC game, and that fact has hardly been mentioned.

The Iron Bowl, the RRR, Texas vs. aTm . . . three of the top 4 traditional rivalries nationally??

Wow.
 
Took a lot of work to come up with that.

It will take some effort to preserve the traditional rivalries.

It occurred to me when driving that the Red River Rivalry will now be an SEC game, and that fact has hardly been mentioned.

The Iron Bowl, the RRR, Texas vs. aTm . . . three of the top 4 traditional rivalries nationally??

Wow.
That is true...hard to make the schedule come out so all traditional rivalries stay in tact. No doubt some feathers will get ruffled. By the way, when I'm on here and read posts, I enjoy reading your views...you are very intelligent and are a very good writer, so keep them coming.
 
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I think things have been trending towards super conferences and expanded seasons for a while. I could also see the mega conferences spinning off from NCAA as their rule seems to be winding down. NIL was but the first blow. NCAA can still probably rule over most of college athletics especially non-rev sports, but there are about 40-50 programs that can break off and do their own thing, at least in basketball and football.

What exactly that means for traditional rivalries and Citadel games, TBD. I would venture to guess that money and ratings will have a lot more to say with who plays who going forward. Rivalries with mass appeal may stay intact, slots that have typically been regional rivalries may change to some sort of interleague schedule between mega conferences.

UT-Martin and Northwest Southeast Constellation Observatory Preparatory Academy weeks may get gone or bumped back to a pre-season exhibition schedule.
 
I enjoy reading your views...

Thanks, and back at you!!

UT-Martin and Northwest Southeast Constellation Observatory Preparatory Academy weeks may get gone or bumped back to a pre-season exhibition schedule.

That had not occurred to me.

Maybe we could have a small Spring season with G5/P5 matchups.

These small programs rely on those million dollar paydays to survive, and I hope they do survive.
 
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