Will the Bama game on the Third Saturday in October be preserved

[Vol_guy]

a 9th conference game does nothing positive for us

 

[Volfan1000]

Saban let the cat out of the bag. As suspected, this game is important on both sides.

View attachment 690897

It's a game of streaks which is uncanny on how long they streaks go on both sides. Also, before we went into divisions, we played Auburn every September. That was a rivalry I liked and it got canned, so history tells us these things can die on the vine.

Honestly, I haven't followed SEC scheduling, press conferences etc, so if there is information on the future of this rivalry, please share, and also your thoughts.

I would say TSIO and the Iron Bowl should both be preserved.

 

[ButchPlz]

Dropping in to keep the record going of my preferred solution.

Add four more teams.
Split into two divisions of ten teams.
One division- pre-1992 SEC teams.
Second division- post-1992 SEC teams.
Move to 9 games.
Play division round robin.
Division winners go to SEC title game.
The end.

I don't care much about playing a lot of the teams we get stuck with. I would rather play the old SEC rivalries year in and year out.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

If we go to 9 games then it's: Vandy, Alabama, Kentucky
If we stay with 8 games then we probably just have instate Vandy every year.

 

[vol24/7/365]

Well I hope so but we have games to play. Can’t worry or predict anything right now. In other words “who cares”!

 

[901 Orange]

The SEC needs to reconsider divisions. We can’t get the two best teams into the conference championship if some teams are playing all the top opponents (Oklahoma & Florida) while others are playing only one or no top programs (Ole Miss, Texas, & Missouri). With divisions, at least both halves of the SEC are competing against like conference schedules in order to qualify for the top two spots.

East: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt

West: Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, & Texas A&M.

No names rivalries need special preservation with division realignment.

Another division solution would be to follow the NFL’s model and break the conference into 4 divisions.

East: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
South: Alabama, LSU, Mississippi, and Mississippi State
North: Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt
West: Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M

8 conference games. 4 team playoff.

The first division suggestion would be ridiculously hard in the East. I'm on board with the 4 divisions, just seems more balanced

 

[901 Orange]

I added to that with another division solution, following the NFC and AFC 16 team models.

If u do the divisions like the NFL, u get more parity in the games. Each division would play their 3 division games, you get the other 3 games from cross division matchups ie: north division vs south division. You can get 1 game each from the remaining 2 divisions. The first year would be tricky but after that those 2 games should be against the team that finished in the same spot as u from those 2 remaining divisions. That's 8 games so u could still preserve 1 rivalry game and the other 3 are your non conference games.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Not at the expense of the Iron Bowl, no. If they can preserve both, they will. If one has to be sacrificed, then the 3rd Saturday In October will be the one to get the axe, unfortunately.

I don't know if that's true. In fact, I think it's not.

I think Auburn will always play Alabama. And as long as they do, it will be called the Iron Bowl, whatever week it is played.

But I think the TSIO is EQUALLY (not less, not by one smidgen) sure to be preserved.

You simply do not throw away a tradition that strong and deep. And don't misunderstand: our rivalry with Auburn back in the day, while fun, was NOTHING like our rivalry with Bama.

break/break

Look, the SEC clearly want to go to a 6+3 model, so that every team plays 9 conference matches each season, with 3 of the 9 being permanent rivals. For us, those would be Kentucky, Vandy, and Bama. No question.

But the SEC isn't going to give that away for free. So, for now, we're in a game of chicken with ESPN. Eventually, they'll pony up, and we'll switch to the 6+3 model.

That seems plain to me.

Go Vols!


p.s. I think the 9+3 model ends up with permanent rivalries along these lines:

Tennessee == Bama, Kentucky, Vandy
Vandy == Vols, Kentucky, Ole Miss
Bama == Auburn, Vols, LSU
Auburn == Bama, Georgia, Miss St
Kentucky == Vols, Vandy, Mizzou
Georgia == Auburn, Florida, South Carolina
Florida == Georgia, LSU, South Carolina
LSU == Florida, Bama, Ole Miss
Ole Miss == Miss St, Vandy, LSU
Miss St == Ole Miss, South Carolina, Auburn
South Carolina == Florida, Georgia, Miss St
Arkansas == Mizzou, Oklahoma, Texas
Mizzou == Arkansas, Kentucky, A&M
Oklahoma == Texas, Arkansas, A&M
Texas == Oklahoma, A&M, Arkansas
A&M == Texas, Oklahoma, Mizzou

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Not at the expense of the Iron Bowl, no. If they can preserve both, they will. If one has to be sacrificed, then the 3rd Saturday In October will be the one to get the axe, unfortunately.

People have short memories. Auburn hasn’t beaten Alabama since 2019, and if the way they’ve looked this year is an indication, it will be 5 shortly and maybe a lot more beyond that. Meanwhile the 2022 game was one of the best CFB games in recent memory, and this year’s had its share of excitement as well. We may have lucked out on the timing, by just a few years.

If Sankey has any sense, though, they’ll find a way to preserve both.

 

[IUGradVol]

Keep TSIO!! I’d rather lose the Florida or Georgia games if that helps us keep it.

Also…would like to play LSU and/or Auburn more often. Just because we rarely ever play them anymore it seems like.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

People have short memories. Auburn hasn’t beaten Alabama since 2019, and if the way they’ve looked this year is an indication, it will be 5 shortly and maybe a lot more beyond that. Meanwhile the 2022 game was one of the best CFB games in recent memory, and this year’s had its share of excitement as well. We may have lucked out on the timing, by just a few years.

If Sankey has any sense, though, they’ll find a way to preserve both.

It's a huge in-state rivalry. No way in hell would they drop the Iron Bowl in favor of Alabama/Tennessee.

 

[ntxVOL]

The SEC needs to reconsider divisions. We can’t get the two best teams into the conference championship if some teams are playing all the top opponents (Oklahoma & Florida) while others are playing only one or no top programs (Ole Miss, Texas, & Missouri). With divisions, at least both halves of the SEC are competing against like conference schedules in order to qualify for the top two spots.

East: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt

West: Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, & Texas A&M.

No names rivalries need special preservation with division realignment.

Another division solution would be to follow the NFL’s model and break the conference into 4 divisions.

East: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
South: Alabama, LSU, Mississippi, and Mississippi State
North: Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt
West: Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M

8 conference games. 4 team playoff.

What about the Iron bowl? Also, how do you have an 8 game conference schedule with 4 divisions?

Finally, I don't think a 4 team playoff will happen unless the main CFP bracket is made smaller because we would be eliminating teams from a 12 team playoff.

I think a 7-1 or 6-3 type schedule is all that's going to work. I don't like it because it seems chaotic right now. Maybe it all works out in the end most of the time. i think a 9 game schedule would likely reduce the number of tie breakers needed.

 

[Mccage]

If I am SEC commissioner, I would evaluate all rivalry games using data on which get the best ratings in the various time slots / networks. The ones with the best numbers remain.

I would never want to stop playing Bama. To make things fair some sort of rotation needs to be installed where it evens out

 

[NighthawkVol]

Saban let the cat out of the bag. As suspected, this game is important on both sides.

View attachment 690897

It's a game of streaks which is uncanny on how long they streaks go on both sides. Also, before we went into divisions, we played Auburn every September. That was a rivalry I liked and it got canned, so history tells us these things can die on the vine.

Honestly, I haven't followed SEC scheduling, press conferences etc, so if there is information on the future of this rivalry, please share, and also your thoughts.

I liked the Auburn rivalry better than the Florida rivalry. The latter replaced the former when we got divisions. But Florida doesn't have a long history with Tennessee. They're not border states. That rivalry was just the result of both teams being in the East and the top 2 teams in the SEC in the 90's. Same with Georgia. So those aren't "organic" rivalries like our 3 most historic ones....Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. Before divisions, Ole Miss and Auburn would've been included.

Therefore, when/if the SEC goes to 9 conference games (I have to think they will...it would be stupid not to), those should be the 3 permanent opponents. I don't wanna hear about Florida or Georgia or South Carolina. It's a no-brainer that it's those 3. Also, and perhaps more importantly, the SEC isn't just going to consider it from the standpoint of Tennessee. It has to considered from the standpoint of every member institution. Who is Vanderbilt's biggest rival? Tennessee. Who is Kentucky's biggest rival? Tennessee. Who is Tennessee's biggest rival? Alabama.

So when you give each program 3 permanent opponents, it makes sense that every team would keep its #1 conference rival. Every program probably gets its #2 rival, UNLESS that precludes someone else from getting their #1. That means Tennessee gets Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. That means Alabama gets Auburn, Tennessee, and, likely, LSU. Georgia gets Florida, Auburn, and likely South Carolina. Auburn gets Alabama, Georgia, and a 3rd (LSU? Arkansas? Florida? Ole Miss?). And so on...

 

[UTK]

a 9th conference game does nothing positive for us

Yeah it does it takes away playing a ****** Kent state hopefully lol

 

[tatervol]

I like the 1-7 model that we are currently doing

What on earth are you talking about

 

[McDad]

I would never want to stop playing Bama. To make things fair some sort of rotation needs to be installed where it evens out

Agree. I'm offering a view based on economics as the only consideration. Seems like the dollars are driving decisions in the current SEC / NCAA

 

[901 Orange]

Keep TSIO!! I’d rather lose the Florida or Georgia games if that helps us keep it.

Also…would like to play LSU and/or Auburn more often. Just because we rarely ever play them anymore it seems like.

Once every 6 years. The issue with playing those 2 more often would be that the players wouldn't get to play against every SEC school during their time in school

 

[dieseldaddy]

The whole reason why they had permanent rivals between east and west was to maintain this rivalry. I could be wrong, but sec knows who makes the . TSIO not going anywhere

 

[mscc1998]

How many losses would it take for Alabama to have before they drop out of the top 10?
You know the pills are political when Alabama loses to Vandy, almost loses to South Carolina, and loses to Tennessee all on back to back weeks.
Just proves they are still the media darlings everywhere.

 

[dobre_shunka]

I don't know if that's true. In fact, I think it's not.

I think Auburn will always play Alabama. And as long as they do, it will be called the Iron Bowl, whatever week it is played.

But I think the TSIO is EQUALLY (not less, not by one smidgen) sure to be preserved.

You simply do not throw away a tradition that strong and deep. And don't misunderstand: our rivalry with Auburn back in the day, while fun, was NOTHING like our rivalry with Bama.

break/break

Look, the SEC clearly want to go to a 6+3 model, so that every team plays 9 conference matches each season, with 3 of the 9 being permanent rivals. For us, those would be Kentucky, Vandy, and Bama. No question.

But the SEC isn't going to give that away for free. So, for now, we're in a game of chicken with ESPN. Eventually, they'll pony up, and we'll switch to the 6+3 model.

That seems plain to me.

Go Vols!


p.s. I think the 9+3 model ends up with permanent rivalries along these lines:

Tennessee == Bama, Kentucky, Vandy
Vandy == Vols, Kentucky, Ole Miss
Bama == Auburn, Vols, LSU
Auburn == Bama, Georgia, Miss St
Kentucky == Vols, Vandy, Mizzou
Georgia == Auburn, Florida, South Carolina
Florida == Georgia, LSU, South Carolina
LSU == Florida, Bama, Ole Miss
Ole Miss == Miss St, Vandy, LSU
Miss St == Ole Miss, South Carolina, Auburn
South Carolina == Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
Arkansas == Mizzou, Oklahoma, Texas
Mizzou == Arkansas, Kentucky, A&M
Oklahoma == Texas, Arkansas, A&M
Texas == Oklahoma, A&M, Arkansas
A&M == Texas, Oklahoma, Mizzou

South Carolina playing South Carolina?

In the 6-3 format, Tennessee will lose UK and get SCAR instead

 

[stevenrich2003]

No direct knowledge of the latest plans, but I’ve been around long enough to know a few things …there are a few institutions that will be held on to - The Egg Bowl at Thanksgiving. The Red River Shootout at the State Fair. The Third Saturday in October!

What you said! I do not think anyone wants the backlash of heat they will get for being the person responsible for doing away with the third Sat. in October. That goes for the conference or either team. This rivalry will live on! For a long, long time.

 

[jasonvol18]

I chuckle when people say the Iron Bowl is bigger than TSIO.

Depends on who you ask. For Auburn, Absolutely. To Ala, it's split, depending on the individual. I know plenty of Ala fans that would rather beat Auburn than TN, then others would rather beat TN. Just like some TN fans see Fla as our biggest rival and the old school guys like myself see Ala as our biggest.

 

[jasonvol18]

South Carolina playing South Carolina?

In the 6-3 format, Tennessee will lose UK and get SCAR instead

No chance. We would get KY before S.Carol.

 

[jasonvol18]

People have short memories. Auburn hasn’t beaten Alabama since 2019, and if the way they’ve looked this year is an indication, it will be 5 shortly and maybe a lot more beyond that. Meanwhile the 2022 game was one of the best CFB games in recent memory, and this year’s had its share of excitement as well. We may have lucked out on the timing, by just a few years.

If Sankey has any sense, though, they’ll find a way to preserve both.

Truthfully, AU had Ala beat last year if not for a horrible defensive call.