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

[KTrain]

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.

NFL model will never happen unless they just let them play football full time as paid employees and no classes at school. Just year round football and making money for non revenue sports and girls sports. Then if you don't make it to NFL, you get a real job.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

South Carolina playing South Carolina?

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

Oops, lol.

I'm too lazy to go back and figure out where it belongs.

And as for Vols having USCe as perm rival? Betcha not. That flew about like a lead balloon when it was floated last year.

 

[dobre_shunka]

Oops, lol.

I'm too lazy to go back and figure out where it belongs.

And as for Vols having USCe as perm rival? Betcha not. That flew about like a lead balloon when it was floated last year.

Someone has to play SCAR and they consider Tennessee a rival

 

[onevol74]

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

Have you ever lived in Alabama? The TSIO is just that. The Iron Bowl is 365 days a year. When I was in elementary school they went around the lunch table demanding to know if you were an Auburn Fan or an Alabama fan? Families do not claim members who are fans of the opposing school. There is no comparison.

 

[adam.vol]

What about the Iron bowl?

All annual rivalries would be set aside for conference realignment. Iron Bowl and 3rd Saturday only happen every 3 years, unless you happen to be in division with your rival. Battle for Barrel and Red River Shootout would continue any ally as I have it laid out. The 4 team divisions can be chosen however you see fit.

Also, how do you have an 8 game conference schedule with 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

Schedule:

East vs East (3 games)
East vs South (4 games)
East vs North (1 team each)

South vs South (3 games)
South vs East (4 games)
South vs West (1 game)

West vs West (3 games)
West vs North (4 games)
West vs South (1 game)

North vs North (3 games)
North vs West (4 games)
North vs East (1 game)

The cross division matchups give a home and away each yeah then rotate to the next group. You play everyone in the conference at least twice in six years. Your team plays the same 3 every year. Your team gets a random conference opponent every year.

 

[onevol74]

a 9th conference game does nothing positive for us

I have never understood this attitude. We are at risk this year of possibly not making the playoff with a 10-2 record due to strength of schedule because we played a soft out of conference schedule. If Alabama wins out they have an advantage over us with strength of schedule even though we beat them head to head.

 

[ptcarter]

Have you ever lived in Alabama? The TSIO is just that. The Iron Bowl is 365 days a year. When I was in elementary school they went around the lunch table demanding to know if you were an Auburn Fan or an Alabama fan? Families do not claim members who are fans of the opposing school. There is no comparison.

I live in Alabama and have most of my life (cherish my time on the hill).

You are not wrong. However there is an undercurrent when it comes to TN Bama. I’m twenty miles from the TN line, so it’s a little different here, it not being much. I’ll take Saban’s word as originally posted. Tn game is still big.

 

[adam.vol]

NFL model will never happen unless they just let them play football full time as paid employees and no classes at school. Just year round football and making money for non revenue sports and girls sports. Then if you don't make it to NFL, you get a real job.

I don’t see the connection you’re trying to make. They can’t have 4 divisions in their 16 team conference unless they stop being students? It’s the same number of games. They just have alike schedules.

 

[KTrain]

I don’t see the connection you’re trying to make. They can’t have 4 divisions in their 16 team conference unless they stop being students? It’s the same number of games. They just have alike schedules.

If you have 4 divisions that adds games to the end of the season semi final playoff then a conference championship then winner into the 12 team playoff, which will be a 16 team in 5 years, mark it down. If you win it all you're playing 18 games, so going to class is just not gonna work. Never happen.

 

[volnbama_]

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.

The iron bowl still produced two classic games in 2023 and 2021 even though Auburn has been down.

 

[adam.vol]

If you have 4 divisions that adds games to the end of the season semi final playoff then a conference championship then winner into the 12 team playoff, which will be a 16 team in 5 years, mark it down. If you win it all you're playing 18 games, so going to class is just not gonna work. Never happen.

I agree that 18 games is too many.

There has to be something that makes better sense than this drawing names from a hat that made the 2024 scheduling so terribly inconsistent and incomparable. The solutions are infinite, but hire a mathematician to create the formula and maybe we can at least agree that there was logic behind it.

 

[Other_Guy]

Since Saban is going to be CFB commissioner, yes.

 

[ntxVOL]

All annual rivalries would be set aside for conference realignment. Iron Bowl and 3rd Saturday only happen every 3 years, unless you happen to be in division with your rival. Battle for Barrel and Red River Shootout would continue any ally as I have it laid out. The 4 team divisions can be chosen however you see fit.


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

Schedule:

East vs East (3 games)
East vs South (4 games)
East vs North (1 team each)

South vs South (3 games)
South vs East (4 games)
South vs West (1 game)

West vs West (3 games)
West vs North (4 games)
West vs South (1 game)

North vs North (3 games)
North vs West (4 games)
North vs East (1 game)

The cross division matchups give a home and away each yeah then rotate to the next group. You play everyone in the conference at least twice in six years. Your team plays the same 3 every year. Your team gets a random conference opponent every year.

I honestly don't see that getting much traction.

 

[adam.vol]

I honestly don't see that getting much traction.

I cant either. As far as making the sport fair, no one making decisions is interested. It wasn’t long ago that the idea of a playoff was fought in every way possible, ultimately resulting in a 12 team format - another attempt at making it both confusing and polarizing.

 

[loservol]

The ratings for rivalry games are way too big to ignore. Even College GameDay seen a bum up in ratings last week.

For strength of schedule reasons, they (Vols) need to keep the Georgia game

 

[NighthawkVol]

a 9th conference game does nothing positive for us

Yes it does. It preserves rivalries, which is what college football is all about.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Someone has to play SCAR and they consider Tennessee a rival

South Carolina will get Georgia, I would guess. They consider Tennessee a rival, but not their top SEC rival.

Hell, they’ve already told us that game is not a priority to be a permanent opponent…because we don’t play them this year or next.

 

[NighthawkVol]

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

This. All of this.

And the fact that Tennessee-Alabama has been a great game each of the last 3 years…and will now be for the foreseeable future…only helps the SEC’s bargaining position.

 

[dobre_shunka]

South Carolina will get Georgia, I would guess. They consider Tennessee a rival, but not their top SEC rival.

Hell, they’ve already told us that game is not a priority to be a permanent opponent…because we don’t play them this year or next.

If the 2024-25 opponents are an indication of what the SEC considers to be future permanent opponents, why would SCAR & UGA be permanent opponents?

 

[ptcarter]

This. All of this.

And the fact that Tennessee-Alabama has been a great game each of the last 3 years…and will now be for the foreseeable future…only helps the SEC’s bargaining position.

You mention SEC bargaining position. Who are they bargaining with? I would assume the networks, and I honestly don't know. Seems to me that's the tail wagging the dog. The SEC shouldn't have to bargain, but I guess we should admit, the networks own the sport and not vise-versa.

 

[volbound1700]

Someone has to play SCAR and they consider Tennessee a rival

I have 2 theories on why South Carolina came up sd permanent rival.

1. People complained about Tennessee having both UK and Vandy as permanent rivals citing it was too easy.

2. Tennessee may have wanted USCe over UK for recruiting reasons

UK vs Tennessee is the third most played series in the SEC after Auburn vs. Georgia and Texas vs. Aggie

After seeing South Carolina dropped of TN's schedule this and next year, I don't think it is happening.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I have 2 theories on why South Carolina came up sd permanent rival.

1. People complained about Tennessee having both UK and Vandy as permanent rivals citing it was too easy.

2. Tennessee may have wanted USCe over UK for recruiting reasons

UK vs Tennessee is the third most played series in the SEC after Auburn vs. Georgia and Texas vs. Aggie

After seeing South Carolina dropped of TN's schedule this and next year, I don't think it is happening.

Yah, the current situation is that South Carolina's the odd man out.

The original 10 members of the conference all have strong historic in-conference rivalries. The six new guys (USCe and Arky in '92, A&M and Mizzou in '12, then Okla and Tex this year), not nearly as much.

BUT, five of the six--Arkansas, Mizzou, A&M, Ok and Tex--all have a shared history in the B12 (and before that, the Big Eight / Southwest Conf.) which results in some strong in-conference rivalry linkages in the 9+3 model. It is very easy to set up 3 truly meaningful annual rivalry matches for all those teams.

Not South Carolina. Their natural rivals, pre-'92, are largely in today's ACC. Yes, USCe was in the Southern Conference with us back in the 1920s, but so was half the ACC.

USCe's top three rivals are Clemson, North Carolina, and Georgia, probably in that order.

Well, we can't accommodate that in the SEC. Not yet, anyway. Maybe after the next round of expansion.

So for now, South Carolina is going to get the scraps that remain after the steaks have all been cut up for the teams who DO have historic rivals in conference.

And that's how they end up, imho, with Georgia, Florida, and Miss St.

Go Vols!

 

[volbound1700]

Yah, the current situation is that South Carolina's the odd man out.

The original 10 members of the conference all have strong historic in-conference rivalries. The six new guys (USCe and Arky in '92, A&M and Mizzou in '12, then Okla and Tex this year), not nearly as much.

BUT, five of the six--Arkansas, Mizzou, A&M, Ok and Tex--all have a shared history in the B12 (and before that, the Big Eight / Southwest Conf.) which results in some strong in-conference rivalry linkages in the 9+3 model. It is very easy to set up 3 truly meaningful annual rivalry matches for all those teams.

Not South Carolina. Their natural rivals, pre-'92, are largely in today's ACC. Yes, USCe was in the Southern Conference with us back in the 1920s, but so was half the ACC.

USCe's top three rivals are Clemson, North Carolina, and Georgia, probably in that order.

Well, we can't accommodate that in the SEC. Not yet, anyway. Maybe after the next round of expansion.

So for now, South Carolina is going to get the scraps that remain after the steaks have all been cut up for the teams who DO have historic rivals in conference.

And that's how they end up, imho, with Georgia, Florida, and Miss St.

Go Vols!

Texas fits well in the SEC now because there 3 biggest historical rivals are all in the SEC: Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. Aggies and Arkansas now as well for the same reason.

Only Missouri and Oklahoma are outliers. Oklahoma's other rivals: Nebraska and Oklahoma State are not there and Missouri is missing Kansas. Oklahoma did maintain Texas and Missouri now has Oklahoma as a rival.

 

[volbound1700]

Yah, the current situation is that South Carolina's the odd man out.

The original 10 members of the conference all have strong historic in-conference rivalries. The six new guys (USCe and Arky in '92, A&M and Mizzou in '12, then Okla and Tex this year), not nearly as much.

BUT, five of the six--Arkansas, Mizzou, A&M, Ok and Tex--all have a shared history in the B12 (and before that, the Big Eight / Southwest Conf.) which results in some strong in-conference rivalry linkages in the 9+3 model. It is very easy to set up 3 truly meaningful annual rivalry matches for all those teams.

Not South Carolina. Their natural rivals, pre-'92, are largely in today's ACC. Yes, USCe was in the Southern Conference with us back in the 1920s, but so was half the ACC.

USCe's top three rivals are Clemson, North Carolina, and Georgia, probably in that order.

Well, we can't accommodate that in the SEC. Not yet, anyway. Maybe after the next round of expansion.

So for now, South Carolina is going to get the scraps that remain after the steaks have all been cut up for the teams who DO have historic rivals in conference.

And that's how they end up, imho, with Georgia, Florida, and Miss St.

Go Vols!

Going back to South Carolina, I think Kentucky is a good "rival" for them.

Kentucky should have South Carolina, Tennessee, Vandy. Missouri fits as a rival for Kentucky as well though.

 

[Hyperion]

I liked the model of having 3 permanent opponents and then rotating the other 6 annually. I liked the idea of Alabama, Vanderbilt and South Carolina being the permanent 3. Kentucky doesn't excite me at all, sorry. I hate to see Florida and Georgia go especially while we are trending upward, but if it means more games against LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma then that's fine by me.