Earlier, we looked at why the SEC might be willing to adopt a nine game schedule. This piece will look at what that schedule could look like. It is trickier than it looks and required at least one happy hour session with General Malaise to sort out.
The biggest issue that teams will deal with is the fact that there will be lopsided home and away years. Nine games present teams with every other year having to play five roadies. Two teams, Florida and Georgia will not be impacted by this and will actually pick up an SEC home game. Currently, Florida and Georgia play in Jacksonville every year. In odd years, UF is the designated ‚”home‚” team and only plays three SEC games in Gainesville. Mr. Koehler tends to think that a nine game slate will prompt more neutral site games. I think it makes sense for some teams, most notably Arkansas and Texas A&M. Jerry Jones is trying to buy every high profile college game that isn’t red hot or nailed down. Texas A&M is looking to raise their national profile, and Arkansas needs as much presence as possible in Texas for recruiting reasons. It may make sense for some teams, but I am not sure a neutral site would work for teams like Mississippi State and Kentucky or Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. Five roadies every other year may be a reality for some teams.
After much experimentation, I can present a rotation that is adequately balanced and ensures that every team plays every other team in the conference within a three year window while maintaining the current division alignments and traditional rivals. With six ‚”non- permanent‚” teams in each division, each SEC team will play three foes from the other side; one permanent and two new teams each year. For explanation purposes, the ‚”swing‚” teams will be designated as ‚”A1 & A2‚” “B1 & B2‚’ and “C1 & C2″. Permanent teams will be designated with a ‚”P‚”.
Florida: ’15 (P: LSU A1:Aub. A2:Ole Miss)
’16 (P:LSU B1:Miss St B2:A&M)
’17 (P:LSU, C1 Ala C2 Ark)
Georgia: ’15 (P:Aub A1:Miss St A2:A&M)
’16 (P:Aub B1 Ala B2 Ark)
’17 (P: Aub C1:LSU C2 Ole Miss)
Kentucky: ’15 (P: Miss St A1: Ala A2: Ark)
’16 (P:Miss St B1:Aub B2:LSU)
’17 (P:Miss St C1: OM C2:A&M)
Missouri: ’15 (P:Ark A1:LSU A2: OM)
’16 (P:Ark B1:MSU B2: A&M)
’17 (P:Ark C1: Ala C2: Aub)
South Carolina: ’15 (P:A&M A1:Ala A2: Ark)
’16 (P:A&M B1:Ole Miss B2:LSU)
’17 (P:A&M C1:Miss St C2:Aub)
Tennessee: ’15 (P:Ala A1:Aub A2: :LSU)
’16 (P:Ala B1:Ark B2: Ole Miss)
’17(P: Ala C1:MSU C2: A&M)
Vanderbilt: ’15 (P: Ole Miss A1:A&M A2: MSU)
’16 (P: OM B1:Ala B2: Aub)
’17(P: OM C1: Ark C2: LSU)
Alabama: ’15 (P: Tenn A1 Kent A2:S Car)
’16 (P:Tenn B1:UGA B2:Vandy )
’17 (P:Tenn C1:UF C2:Mizz)
Arkansas: ’15 (P:Mizz A1:S Car A2:Kent)
’16 (P:Mizz B1:Tenn B2:UGA )
’17 (P:Mizz C1:Vandy C2:UF )
Auburn: ’15 (P:UGA:A1: UF A2:Tenn )
’16 (P:UGA B1:Kent B2:Vandy )
’17 (P:UGA C1:Mizz C2:S Car )
LSU: ’15 (P:UF A1: Mizz A2:Tenn)
’16 (P:UF B1:S Car B2:Kent )
’17 (P:UF C1:UGA C2:Vandy )
Ole Miss: ’15(P:Vandy A1:Mizz A2: UF )
’16 (P:Vandy B1:S Car B2:Tenn )
’17 (P:Vandy C1:Kent C2:UGA )
Miss St: ’15 (P:Kent A1:UGA A2:Vandy )
’16 (P:Kent B1:Mizz B2:UF )
’17(P:Kent C1: S Car C2:Tenn )
Texas A&M: ’15 (P:S CarA1:Vandy A2:UGA )
’16 (P:S Car B1:Mizz B2:UF )
’17 (P:S Car C1:Tenn C2:Kent )
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Bryant Roberts is a life long SEC fan, has 2 autographed pictures of Steve Spurrier, is addicted to BBQ, and a graduate of Presbyterian College. Follow him on twitter here.
