Good Lord. Talk about your reset (h/t sicemdogs.com).
This season, Alabama has four of its six games against SEC West opponents at home. Texas A&M has just two. This was done (presumably) so that the Aggies would not have Alabama, Arkansas and LSU all coming to College Station in the same year. Templeton confirmed that going forward all teams will have three home division games and three away division games. How to correct the problem?
“There will be more than one repeat game,” said Templeton.
Any repeat games are expected to occur in 2013 and 2014 and will be avoided from that point on…
… Each team will retain one permanent rivalry game against a non-division opponent. South Carolina and Texas A&M will become permanent rivals, allowing Missouri and Arkansas, which share a border, to play annually. However, if all of the current permanent rivalry games simply flip to the opposite venue next season, it is not mathematically possible to establish a rotation where a team can cycle through all of the schools in the opposite division.
“Some interesting games will have to go back to a certain venue [two years in a row],” Templeton said.
To best establish a full rotation, all permanent rivalry games would have to be hosted by SEC West teams one year, and SEC East teams the next. In 2012, three of the five continuing rivalry games are at SEC East venues (Alabama-Tennessee, LSU-Florida, Mississippi State-Kentucky) and two at SEC West venues (Georgia-Auburn, Vanderbilt-Ole Miss). Therefore, the logical solution is for all permanent rivalry games, including South Carolina-Texas A&M and Missouri-Arkansas to be played in SEC West stadiums in 2013, so that three of the five rivalries can stay on their current rotation.
Congrats, SEC. You’ve made “logical solution” into an oxymoron.
Get The Picture 
I only care how it affects UGA, and quite frankly I’m all in favor of going to a 9-game, 5-1-2 model. That way, both UGA and UF can have 4 home SEC games every year.
If we have to travel to Auburn two years in a row in order to accomplish that, cool.
The bigger question to me is why we scheduled Clemson so that we play them on the same home/away rotation as GTech.
LikeLike
That probably had something to do with SEC schedule under 12 teams – that is playing away at Clem and GT next year.
LikeLike
So that means the Clemmons game is actually the “Second-Tier Bowl”?
LikeLike
Quick, someone tell me which teams are in what divisions in the ACC.
In other words, it could be worse. But “could be worse” should not be confused with “doesn’t stink.” Because it does.
LikeLike
If a second-tier conference has two divisions, is one of them the third-tier?
LikeLike
That would be additive. Given the state of the ACC, I wonder if the relationship is more geometric – 2 to the 2nd, rather than 2+1.
LikeLike
Anybody here think Penn Wagers had anything to do with this scheduling?
LikeLike
Also, sakerlina’s gonna be pissed! I don’t know why…but I gotta feelin’ this ain’t fair for them..!
LikeLike
They have to fly all the way to Texas!
LikeLike
Just add the other two teams and make it a 16 team conference already. All of these headaches with the schedules would go away. Add two teams from the East, move Missouri back to the west and be done. Clemson and FSU are ready. All of the TV money will pay the ACC buyouts and then some.
LikeLike
If/when 2 more teams are added they won’t come from SC or FL. Those states are already covered for TV revenue with the Gamecocks and Gators those schools don’t want then in the SEC. Plus the ACC just made it very difficult to leave the conference by upping the cost to leave.
LikeLike
ESPN and CBS are footing the bill with all of this TV money and they’re learning this year that quality of games is just as important as new markets. The quality of the SEC matchup is what gets eyeballs in markets nationwide, not just in SEC hometowns. Alabama vs. Missouri is not as nationally appealing as Alabama vs. FSU. There’s enough money to laugh at the ACC buyout.
LikeLike
I think the bigger issue is Florida doesn’t want FSU in the SEC, SC doesn’t want Clemson in, and Georgia, for that matter, doesn’t want Tech in the conference either. I think those three would join together to agree to not vote for the others’ home state rival as a new member to make sure they stay out. They don’t want their rivals gaining the recruiting advantage of being able to sell recruits on another option to play in the SEC in the home state.
I am also not sure Tennessee would be too keen on adding those two schools either. It just makes it that much more difficult in the East and in more years than not the East would be a much more difficult division to win compared to the West. Clemson and FSU is much more daunting traditionally than Texas A&M and Mizzou.
It would be awesome from a fans perspective to get those two schools but I don’t see it happening. I think the better target would be VT and ???. I would have said WVU before they went to the BIG XII but now who knows?
LikeLike
I agree with you, but the ADs will do anything if there is a check involved.
LikeLike
How long before Spurdog starts whining that the Gamecocks have to travel to College Station every other year while Georgia only has to travel to East Alabama to play Auburn?
LikeLike
I’d wager that for at least the next year, it’ll be the last thing he brings up regarding Georgia.
LikeLike
So in every other year we have to play our four biggest rivalry games on the road? What the hell, SEC? If this happens, in odd-numbered years we’re going to be at Tennessee, at Auburn, at Tech, and versus Florida in JAX.
Not to mention what that does to the home schedules in those years. What the best game in 2013 under this proposal? South Carolina and that’s about it. And if that moves back into the early part of the schedule again, what’s there to look forward to down the line? Kentucky? Missouri? McGarity had better consider closing the cupcake cabinet and getting us a decent game somewhere just to be able to sell the season ticket packages. Sure, it’ll be nice to have all three coming to Athens in the even-numbered years (and throw in Clemson and 2014 will be a helluva home slate) but this is just stupid. Maybe we need to go ahead and throw Tech that bone they’ve been asking for and flip-flop that arrangement from even years to odd just so we can have a good home game.
LikeLike
Um, we still play at Jax even when it’s a home game for us. Only difference is white jerseys and red jerseys. It’s always an away from home game.
LikeLike
Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m aware of that. I’ve been going to the game for 15 years and have noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a break in the schedule. Go ahead and do me a favor and show me anywhere in what I’ve written above where I said Florida wouldn’t be away from Athens. The way the schedule is currently set up, Georgia gets at least one of the “big four” rivals at home every year. In even years, it gets two, Tennessee and Tech. If we have to flip Auburn, that means that we won’t get a SINGLE “big four” game at home.
LikeLike
I have read that, if this all occurs, UGA and GT would likely flip the years of their home/away schedules.
LikeLike
It would make sense. But I sure hate doing that. I really enjoyed them being screwed every other year.
LikeLike
+1.The WLOCP is an away game. It ain’t ‘Tween the Hedges” is it?
LikeLike
Gotcha. Didn’t get the gist of your post above but that makes sense now.
LikeLike
Had to read that last paragraph 3 times to see the LOGIC mentioned in the last sentence. Every other year is gonna Suck.
LikeLike
Pingback: Sooners’ time on the edge; more Designated Reads | Campus Union
Pingback: DawgsOnline » Could an SEC schedule adjustment affect the Tech series also?
Pingback: Sooners’ time on the edge; more Designated Reads «