Breaking: TX, OU Reach Agreement to Join SEC in 2024

[ksgovols]

Because we have actually been competitive with those schools more than once every 30-40 years. I get you want an almost guaranteed win but if you get excited about playing the worst team in the conference, there's a problem. I'm not a proponent of the 1 rivalry game because that pretty much kills a lot of real rivalries. Don't care who Vandy finds to play. I want to keep our big games against rivals. I don't care if they've been rivals for 10 years or 100 years. Florida and Bama are more important rivalries than Vandy every day of the week.

You do understand that Vandy and UK get a shot at picking their most important rival in the league don't you? Both are going to pick the Vols. We are going to pick Bama. You'd make a better millennial argument for Florida over Bama. The fact that the 6 teams rotating in a 9 game schedule means that every team plays all the rest of the league away and at home every 4 years kind of trumps everything else. The rotation will come back around much more frequently than fans have ever experienced. So..............history will matter. All the way back to the beginning. It's done. Florida in lieu of Vandy has zero shot.

16-10= 6 . Those 6 will be from TX, OU, A&M, Arky, Mizzou, LSU, MSt, Ole Miss, AU, FL, UGA, SC. The schedule will never be full of guaranteed wins. Simple math. There will be a 2 year break between whichever of these 12 someone would consider weak. It will be interesting to see if the conference schedule is exactly the same every 2 years or if there will be a few one year games that first year so that it's never exactly the same from year to year. The first conference schedule could include 3 permanent opponents, 3 on the schedule for one year and 3 that are on the schedule for 2 years or some sort of rotation that skips a year or two in between home and homes. I'm sure there's an algorithm the conference is considering since every other year will have one more home game for half the teams in a 9 game schedule. Whether we play Vandy or Florida every year is hardly going to be the difference. Math. I know.

 

[DrTNT]

Cherish the Alabama game in October. There's a chance it may go away as an annual event in 2024

Seems like I’ve heard it’s more likely we keep Bama on the schedule (which I’m happy about), but unfortunately we lose Florida and Georgia on our regular schedule I’d rather lose Vandy and Kentucky yearly

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Ok. That's not the discussion. Is the Florida game more important than Vandy and UK historically?

I was saying UF and UGA are actually going to be on a 2 year rotation, nothing more.

 

[beachvol23]

This article states the decision between the 8 or 9 game conference schedule is split between the top 8 programs and the bottom 8 and if ESPN is willing to increase its payout if a 9 game schedule is selected.

Interestingly Tennessee is considered as part of the bottom 8.

SEC Faces Decision on New Schedule Format With Early Additions of Texas, Oklahoma

The “top/bottom 8” is totally asinine! Leave to a pinhead to write such a thing! It shows he has have absolutely zero clue about the SEC, history and is only making assumptions because we had three horrible coaches in a row!
For everyone else proposing “pods” etc. You’re wasting your time. The league has already discussed and determined those are not in top three options.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

From a fairness standpoint you cannot have permanent opponents, but need a fully rotational schedule for every team. Not a big deal for THE ONE major opponent for each school, the teams simply schedule a game from outside the conference 8 or 9 game schedule in the off years with zero impact on the rules of calculation for championship participation. How it impacts national calculations not withstanding. That would leave one or two spots for out of conference rivalries like FL and FSU, OK and OSU, GA GT, etc. to be added to a pushover or two. How you schedule the 3-4 non-counters is up to each school. Not rocket science.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

The “top/bottom 8” is totally asinine! Leave to a pinhead to write such a thing! It shows he has have absolutely zero clue about the SEC, history and is only making assumptions because we had three horrible coaches in a row!
For everyone else proposing “pods” etc. You’re wasting your time. The league has already discussed and determined those are not in top three options.

Yep, we have the 3rd most wins and SEC championships in the 14 team conference.

 

[onevol74]

Using your fancy modeling it would be interesting to assume Satan leaves and Alabama drops to middle of pack and Auburn under frozen and UT under CJH rise to the top 30% how that would affect the strength of schedule.

The SEC is about to see some changing of the guard. Satan won’t be around long….

I have been thinking for over a year that 23 would be his last.

 

[NighthawkVol]

I think it peaked 1979-1983

It was provincial then. Everyone was from here. Cities should have diversity and Nashville got that this century.

 

[beachvol23]

Yep, we have the 3rd most wins and SEC championships in the 14 team conference.

I think we should remind Ross Dellenger of this fact! His contact info is at top of article!

Also, this pod nonsense needs to stop! The SEC WILL NOT put Bama, Auburn and Tennessee in a “pod”! Nor will the they make a simple two division split with bammers and barners in the East!

Do any of you all seriously think the league office being in Birmingham will ever allow that to happen? think about it!

 

[mscc1998]

Who or which team goes to the West division and which goes to the East? Put them both in the West and switch Alabama and Auburn to the East? It would make Georgia face Alabama every year if so. I'm sure a lot of people have questions about this.

 

[beachvol23]

Who or which team goes to the West division and which goes to the East? Put them both in the West and switch Alabama and Auburn to the East? It would make Georgia face Alabama every year if so. I'm sure a lot of people have questions about this.

That’s why they will eliminate the divisions! It would create a huge imbalance.

 

[dobre_shunka]

That’s why they will eliminate the divisions! It would create a hug imbalance.

The other reason to eliminate divisions is it makes adding additional schools in the future easier. Plus an uneven number can also be added without causing an imbalance in divisions

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Who or which team goes to the West division and which goes to the East? Put them both in the West and switch Alabama and Auburn to the East? It would make Georgia face Alabama every year if so. I'm sure a lot of people have questions about this.

It will be the 3/6/6 model almost certainly. The other possibility is 1/7/7. There will be no pods, no divisions. Everything depends on whether they will go to the 9 game in conference schedule or stick with 8. They will go to 9 though because it will be more money. This is a model of how the 3/6/6 schedule could look, you alternate every other year playing your 6 rotating teams. So there are only two kinds of conference opponents: the 3 you play every year, and the 12 you play every other year (rotate 6 and 6).

 

[beachvol23]

The other reason to eliminate divisions is it makes adding additional schools in the future easier. Plus an uneven number can also be added without causing an imbalance in divisions

Yes and it’s still entirely possible for the SEC to pick off an ACC school or four, despite what they say! Nobody every thought the Big East would disappear in hoops either!

 

[Hulavol]

I guess I’m in the minority, but a football season without the third Saturday in October would be empty for me. Everything else is secondary - that’s the game of the year. The history, the pageantry, the excitement of hate week. That’s as good as it gets - and the large contingent of Vol fans who make the trip to T town every other year and have their tailgating rituals and planned events with the life long Bama friends they have made over the decades - and welcoming those folks up to Neyland every other year…..The Bama game is talked about all year and the memories made are priceless. 1982. 4th and 19. Rocky Block. And now Hooker to Hyatt! May we never lose this game.
My hatred of Bama needs it. Yearly.

 

[Vol865]

You do understand that Vandy and UK get a shot at picking their most important rival in the league don't you? Both are going to pick the Vols. We are going to pick Bama. You'd make a better millennial argument for Florida over Bama. The fact that the 6 teams rotating in a 9 game schedule means that every team plays all the rest of the league away and at home every 4 years kind of trumps everything else. The rotation will come back around much more frequently than fans have ever experienced. So..............history will matter. All the way back to the beginning. It's done. Florida in lieu of Vandy has zero shot.

16-10= 6 . Those 6 will be from TX, OU, A&M, Arky, Mizzou, LSU, MSt, Ole Miss, AU, FL, UGA, SC. The schedule will never be full of guaranteed wins. Simple math. There will be a 2 year break between whichever of these 12 someone would consider weak. It will be interesting to see if the conference schedule is exactly the same every 2 years or if there will be a few one year games that first year so that it's never exactly the same from year to year. The first conference schedule could include 3 permanent opponents, 3 on the schedule for one year and 3 that are on the schedule for 2 years or some sort of rotation that skips a year or two in between home and homes. I'm sure there's an algorithm the conference is considering since every other year will have one more home game for half the teams in a 9 game schedule. Whether we play Vandy or Florida every year is hardly going to be the difference. Math. I know.

And none of that has to do with anything I was talking about past the first couple sentences, so congratulations on wasting your time to type that.

 

[VolNExile]

The author looks to have made some effort to note Tennessee as being caught between the two sections. (Though they’re also split along revenue-generating lines it seems)

From the article:

Historically, the league is split on revenue-generating lines: the top seven and the bottom seven.

I sort of boggle at Tennessee being in the lower half in terms of revenue, considering how rabid our fan base is. But I guess the long years of misery resulted in crappy TV game times and such. I guess by “revenue” they specifically mean TV revenue.

 

[beachvol23]

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/spor...xas-longhorns-rivalry-ou-sooners/69875519007/

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I guess I’m in the minority, but a football season without the third Saturday in October would be empty for me. Everything else is secondary - that’s the game of the year. The history, the pageantry, the excitement of hate week. That’s as good as it gets - and the large contingent of Vol fans who make the trip to T town every other year and have their tailgating rituals and planned events with the life long Bama friends they have made over the decades - and welcoming those folks up to Neyland every other year…..The Bama game is talked about all year and the memories made are priceless. 1982. 4th and 19. Rocky Block. And now Hooker to Hyatt! May we never lose this game.
My hatred of Bama needs it. Yearly.

TTSIO isn't going anywhere.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

I like what you say, however I would remove Vandy, can't be a money maker or for the most part a game that that can improve the standing of our program. I know this seems like asking for trouble, but I would insert Ga. for Vandy..

Congressmen get involved in if Tennesse and Vandy don't play every year. Just look at all the turmoil with FL-Miami series not being annual and triple it because they are both in the same conference.

 

[Hulavol]

Congressmen get involved in if Tennesse and Vandy don't play every year. Just look at all the turmoil with FL-Miami series not being annual and triple it because they are both in the same conference.

Thing is, nobody on the UT side gives a flying crap about playing Vandy. To quote a famous coach: “that game is irrelevant- unless you lose.”
And the Kentucky game is garbage too.

Those games just don’t get the blood boiling. I mean those are the two worst teams in the conference. They aren’t rivalries. They just aren’t.
One of them is ok, but not both.

 

[DuckInAPen]

Thing is, nobody on the UT side gives a flying crap about playing Vandy. To quote a famous coach: “that game is irrelevant- unless you lose.”
And the Kentucky game is garbage too. Would really hate having to play them both every year.
Those games just don’t get the blood boiling. I mean those are the two worst teams in the conference. They aren’t rivalries. They just aren’t.
One of them is ok, but not both.

I'm gonna push back against this. Ending the season whipping in-state Vandy is a time-hallowed tradition, and our lopsided advantage over neighboring Kentucky in football is balanced by their lopsided advantage over us in basketball (in basketball, they are our rival par excellence). These are games we need to keep.

 

[Vol865]

I'm gonna push back against this. Ending the season whipping in-state Vandy is a time-hallowed tradition, and our lopsided advantage over neighboring Kentucky in football is balanced by their lopsided advantage over us in basketball (in basketball, they are our rival par excellence). These are games we need to keep.

I'd rather return the favor to Florida than keep playing a glorified G5 school every year.

 

[Voltopia]

I guess I’m in the minority, but a football season without the third Saturday in October would be empty for me. Everything else is secondary - that’s the game of the year. The history, the pageantry, the excitement of hate week. That’s as good as it gets - and the large contingent of Vol fans who make the trip to T town every other year and have their tailgating rituals and planned events with the life long Bama friends they have made over the decades - and welcoming those folks up to Neyland every other year…..The Bama game is talked about all year and the memories made are priceless. 1982. 4th and 19. Rocky Block. And now Hooker to Hyatt! May we never lose this game.
My hatred of Bama needs it. Yearly.

The real sobering thought for me is this. All those things about the Third Saturday in October, all those special aspects that make it unique ... in this new world of 3 and 6 rotating, there will be no new rivalries. None. Teams that only place twice in four years won't ever develop rivalries, or if they do, the rivalries will be stuff ginned up by companies to market games. Sterile, corporate-manufactured things like "Red River Rivalry" or the "River City Showdown." Fake, stupid, pointless drivel ground down to a boring shine by ESPN and whoever owns whatever.

Whoever you get in your three games - those will be the only potential rivals from that point on. Nothing new will ever have the opportunity to develop. That means periods like Florida-Tennessee in the 1990s will never happen again. And for the record, UT-UF in the 1990s was AMAZING. It was red hot stuff, the BIGGEST marquee game in the SEC for years and years, outshining even the Alabama game. For 3 or 4 years there, the UT-UF game was THE game in the SEC. I have so many memories from those times, and those games (even if a lot of them sucked for us).

Nothing like that can happen in a format where you see teams once every two years. We'll have the Alabama game, but that will be it. Kentucky and Vandy will never be true legitimate threats to us, and we'll never again develop a new rivalry or see another opponent emerge as a rival. Us and Alabama, locked in a death grip, and that will be it. That kind of sucks. And, to me, is incredibly sad.

 

[DuckInAPen]

I'd rather return the favor to Florida than keep playing a glorified G5 school every year.

I can understand that preference, especially for those who began following UT football seriously after the introduction of divisions or who live in Florida. For my part, I don't view Florida as a natural rival. We don't share a border. I'm not aware of any place in which significant numbers of UT fans are intermingled with significant numbers of Florida fans; opportunities for asserting bragging rights are quite limited for most. If we're not perennially vying for dominance of our shared division, to me the game loses much of its significance.

If we can have only three annual rivals, I'd make them Bama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt (in that order). Auburn would take the fourth place, and Florida (with perhaps a slight advantage) would vie with Ole Miss for fifth. Not everyone will agree with this, and I can appreciate others ranking our rivalries in a different order of priority (so long, that is, as they don't deprive the Third Saturday in October of its rightful place atop them all).