Expected Future Vol SEC schedule if 7-1 format adopted.

#1
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Vfl2407

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#1
Should Saban get his way, and doesn’t he always, the SEC will go to a 7 rotating and 1 permanent team format starting in 2025.
That would probably mean that they would just take the 2024 7 teams and drop them and use the other 7 in 2025.

For Tennessee that would mean we would play these teams in 2025 including our 1 permanent game Vandy:
TAMU, OM, MIZ, USC, LSU, AUB, TEX, VANDY.
(imagine how all of our traditionalists would react to a season with no UF, UGA, BAMA or UK).
going a step further, we would probably host TEXAS, VANDY, MIZ, LSU and play at TAMU, OM, USC, AUB due to recency of hosting and visits.
This schedule would then just flop the home and away for 2027.

going another step ahead, that would mean in 2026:
we would host ARK, UGA, OU, VANDY and go to UF, BAMA, MSU, UK.
This schedule would then just flop the home and aways for 2028.

So to recap, if the 7-1 format is adopted, here’s how I see the next 4 seasons for the Vols:

2024 HOME UF, BAMA, UK, MSU. AWAY OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY
2025 HOME TEX, MIZ, LSU, VANDY. AWAY TAMU, OM, USC, AUB.
2026 HOME OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY. AWAY UF, BAMA, UK, MSU
2027 HOME TAMU, OM, USC, AUB. AWAY TEX, MIZ, LSU, VANDY
2028 HOME UF, BAMA, UK, MSU. AWAY OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY
(observant readers will note that an adjustment had to be made in the Vandy home/away site in 2026 to preserve 4 home games for UT, giving UT back to back home games in 2025/2026…so Vandy loses a home game to UT, but they get it back in 2027/2028 with 2 straight home games).
 
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#4
#4
Playing Bama is traditional and Tennessee has the most wins against Bama than any other school. Until Saban, it was neck and neck wins and losses wise. The game, traditionally, is good for the sport.

We need to somehow keep Vandie and Kentucky, because we need those late season basically automatic wins to make the playoffs most seasons......
 
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#5
#5
Yea the geritol goat will not even be around - but he is already crying about the schedule. What a weasel. Pretty much handing him a national championship this year. Like most of his past championships.
 
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#7
#7
I wish Sankey would pull his head out and go to a 9 game schedule...conference is strong enough that the marquee OOC match ups wouldn't be that great.

That would allow everyone the 7 game flop like you have and 2 permanent rivals to keep those historic games like the cocktail party, third Saturday in October, etc.
 
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#8
#8
Vfl2407 said:
Should Saban get his way, and doesn’t he always, the SEC will go to a 7 rotating and 1 permanent team format starting in 2025.
That would probably mean that they would just take the 2024 7 teams and drop them and use the other 7 in 2025.

For Tennessee that would mean we would play these teams in 2025 including our 1 permanent game Vandy:
TAMU, OM, MIZ, USC, LSU, AUB, TEX, VANDY.
(imagine how all of our traditionalists would react to a season with no UF, UGA, BAMA or UK).
going a step further, we would probably host TEXAS, VANDY, MIZ, LSU and play at TAMU, OM, USC, AUB due to recency of hosting and visits.
This schedule would then just flop the home and away for 2027.

going another step ahead, that would mean in 2026:
we would host ARK, UGA, OU, VANDY and go to UF, BAMA, MSU, UK.
This schedule would then just flop the home and aways for 2028.

So to recap, if the 7-1 format is adopted, here’s how I see the next 4 seasons for the Vols:

2024 HOME UF, BAMA, UK, MSU. AWAY OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY
2025 HOME TEX, MIZ, LSU, VANDY. AWAY TAMU, OM, USC, AUB.
2026 HOME OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY. AWAY UF, BAMA, UK, MSU
2027 HOME TAMU, OM, USC, AUB. AWAY TEX, MIZ, LSU, VANDY
2028 HOME UF, BAMA, UK, MSU. AWAY OU, ARK, UGA, VANDY
(observant readers will note that an adjustment had to be made in the Vandy home/away site in 2026 to preserve 4 home games for UT, giving UT back to back home games in 2025/2026…so Vandy loses a home game to UT, but they get it back in 2027/2028 with 2 straight home games).
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If this is adopted, there’s really no point to being in a conference anymore, at least to the fans. Yes, I get that the money sharing is the reason, but to us fans, there’s no difference in being an independent or any other conference if we can’t keep annual rivals. Hell, we could play in another league and still play Vandy every year.
 
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#9
#9
NighthawkVol said:
If this is adopted, there’s really no point to being in a conference anymore, at least to the fans. Yes, I get that the money sharing is the reason, but to us fans, there’s no difference in being an independent or any other conference if we can’t keep annual rivals. Hell, we could play in another league and still play Vandy every year.
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Newsflash, its always been about the money, they have not worried about the fans since TV took over football and Notre Dame didn't worry even before, when NBC basically owned them and they monopolized TV.
 
#11
#11
KTrain said:
Newsflash, its always been about the money, they have not worried about the fans since TV took over football and Notre Dame didn't worry even before, when NBC basically owned them and they monopolized TV.
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I get it. That’s why I said that. But at some point, we as fans have to receive the product we want in order to keep tuning in and spending money. There is a breaking point.

Our attachment to the SEC is becoming analogous to a marriage in which the love is gone, but we stay together for financial reasons.
 
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#14
#14
NighthawkVol said:
I get it. That’s why I said that. But at some point, we as fans have to receive the product we want in order to keep tuning in and spending money. There is a breaking point.

Our attachment to the SEC is becoming analogous to a marriage in which the love is gone, but we stay together for financial reasons.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree, but the sad truth is that people will continue to tune in and spend money in greater numbers. The NCAA and every pro league knows this and continues to bank on it.

Gambling is the thing that has changed everything and has allowed the sports leagues to abandon any pretense of "tradition" in selling their souls to media companies that are starved for content because people just can't get enough. The old school fan like many of us are barely even taken for granted any more - it is the new fan, generally younger and with disposable income to spend and an insatiable appetite for entertainment, that is the target audience now.

These "fans" are generally not loyal to a team or school, but to their fantasy teams and certain players. Why do you think the heavy emphasis on gambling is there, not just all week and pre-game in the media, but throughout games with a running ticker at the bottom of the TV screen? Ticket sales are a big revenue source, but that pales next to the media rights money, which includes gambling revenue, as the networks all have their own sports books at this point.

There will probably always be saps like us who will pay stupid prices to fill stadiums and buy merchandise, but the decision makers in the sports industry are thinking long term, and that is taking into account the "dinosaur" older fans falling away, which will result more and more in these changes we will continue to see.
 
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#16
#16
To ease the Traditionlists, keep in mind that Florida and Georgia were not really even consider rivals of Tennessee until 1992. Sure we would lose some rivals like we did in the past with Auburn and Ole Miss but we would gain new ones.

Honestly, as a Tennessee fan, I am ready for the change. Most of these rivalries with Alabama, Florida, and Georgia have just been miserable the past 20 or so years. I hate losing Kentucky though 😄
 
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#18
#18
Eastknox865 said:
Everything is changing anyway might as well change it all
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Rivalries disappear, players will come and go through the portal.....

Well, at least the uniforms will stay the same
Smokey_Grey_2023_Photo_Edit_2_copy_v2.jpg
 
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#20
#20
IndianaVol said:
I wish Sankey would pull his head out and go to a 9 game schedule...conference is strong enough that the marquee OOC match ups wouldn't be that great.

That would allow everyone the 7 game flop like you have and 2 permanent rivals to keep those historic games like the cocktail party, third Saturday in October, etc.
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The math doesn't add up. This would require adding a 17th team to the conference. A 9 game SEC schedule would require a 6/3 setup.
 
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#21
#21
i think this year was kind of one off situation and that they will revisit the scheduling next season. I personally hope for a 3-6 model.
 
#23
#23
I think the best solution is to go with a big ten model. Protect all the rivalries and rotate the rest of the games. For us that’s vandy, UK, bama, UF. Some teams may only have 2 or 3, some may have 4 or 5. Just keep the rivalries protected and rotate through the other games
 
#24
#24
BDHVOL said:
SEC 9 game schedule is a bargaining chip now. The league will not go to it unless ESPN pays for it.
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And we have a winner!

The SEC depends on the fans to clamor for the 9 game schedule so ESPN sees more eyeballs and ponies up more money for it.

It's all about having chips to bargain with ESPN for more money.
 
#25
#25
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
And we have a winner!

The SEC depends on the fans to clamor for the 9 game schedule so ESPN sees more eyeballs and ponies up more money for it.

It's all about having chips to bargain with ESPN for more money.
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And that’s exactly what they’re going to get after seeing the matchups from the 2024 season and seeing the crazy ratings.
 
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