In the midst of all of his pronouncements the other day, you might have missed this bit from Greg Sankey:
Eliminate FCS games to help with SEC Network ratings when those are released in next year or so? Sankey says vast majority of games on the network are conference games, so he believes that’s an inaccurate assumption. “Let’s not assume what we are or not doing in ratings.” No communication about eliminating FCS games.
Is it possible SEC will eliminate FCS games in football? “It’s a conversation piece but we have not eliminated those.”
Yum. Those cupcakes are mighty tasty.
As for what we might assume regarding ratings, I bet the commissioner would change his tune upon either the SEC getting burned by the selection committee because of perceived strength of schedule shortcomings or ESPN bitching strongly enough about the quality of the broadcast fodder it’s being fed.
Get The Picture 
I’m not sure you’ll see the committee slight the SEC about strength of schedule when Bama plays USC, we play UNC, Auburn plays Clemson, LSU plays Wisconsin, and Florida plays Florida State. What will get the conference’s attention will be complaints from the Mouse about the quality of games left over for the SECN. The bottom line is that the SECN gets the last choice after CBS and the ESPNs take their games. Unless Georgia is one of the teams involved, I typically find the SECN games not to be worth the time to find it on the channel lineup.
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The SEC East is bad this year. If there’s an upset in the SECCG, don’t be so sure about what the committee does.
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If an 11-1 SECE champion wins the SECCG, no way the committee shuts the SEC out unless there are 3 unbeaten P5 champions and an undefeated ND. If a 9-3 (or even 10-2) East champion catches lightning in a bottle and wins in Atlanta, the SEC will get shut out … and probably should.
Using our favorite team around here, if Georgia went 11-1 with a loss at Ole Mi$$ and then turned around and beat the Rebel Black Bears in the SECCG to be 12-1, I don’t see how there’s any way the committee keeps us out. On the other hand, if Georgia goes 9-3 by losing to UNC, Ole Mi$$, and Auburn but then somehow wins the SECCG, I don’t see how Georgia’s resume would stack up against the other conference champions’ resume to warrant a bid in the committee’s eyes.
Senator, I guess my opinion is that FCS scheduling isn’t going to be the dividing line between in and out.
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We’ll see. I expect a lot of schedule strength chatter this year.
Of course, they could always deal with the problem by going to an eight-team playoff. 🙂
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Please no wild cards!
Bracket creep for the win, baby!
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They wouldn’t leave out an 12-1 SEC Champ…PERIOD.
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Not sure I would agree if Clemson, Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame were all undefeated … the committee would get crucified in the media for leaving out an undefeated P5 champion/Notre Dame.
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Get back to me when it happens. 🙂
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I generally agree with you that a 1-loss SEC champ will not get left out of the playoff unless there are too many unbeatens. I don’t think it will happen, but it would be a possibility. 😉
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As long as the SEC doesn’t schedule “cupcake weekend” ESPN should have plenty to choose from.
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I “assume” there may be some grudges held toward the SEC about the camp ban by some committee members.
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I have no issues with playing 1 FCS game a year. Helps the lower division teams tremendously. Without them, how many kids wouldn’t have the opportunity for a scholarship? I thought getting more kids scholarships was what the satellite camps were all about? The Big 10 and the pundits told us that. Don’t forget about the kids.
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Funny how the “think of the kids” narrative conveniently comes and goes, isn’t it?
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FCS five years ago was App. St. and Ga. Southern. FCS now is Mercer and Kennesaw St. I’m ok with Group of Five games, but FCS is now a significant grade below.
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