New SEC divisions and pods thread (Page 30 starts recent discussion)

[Underdog 28,576]

Yeah, that’s an incredibly embarrassing and waf non-con. I grew up when they had H&H with PSU, MD, UNC, OU, WVU, KU, Clemson  and had their annual game with IU.  And chances are they’ll buy their way out of a trip to Akron and wherever to add another home cupcake. 

[John80 157]

It's hilarious that "Kentucky football" is in the same sentence with "top ten." Uk hasn't won the SEC since 1950 and in the last 40 years we have had a winning conference record two times. The one top 10 team Kentucky had in 1977 was achieved with massive cheating and probation. Kentucky is like Kansas State when Bill Snyder took over and schedules as such.

 

 

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

5 hours ago, TKthunder2 said:

Why does this matter? Is recently top 10 ranked Kentucky football program that big of a bitch they can’t play a single P5 school each year? For fuck’s sake dump Louisville and schedule Illinois, Indiana, Wake Forest, Duke, Rutgers, Kansas, and Arizona. UK with SEC money out the ass, is playing games AT Toledo and AT Akron…they should be ridiculed to no end.

2023

09/02 - Ball State

09/09 - Eastern Kentucky

09/16 - Akron

11/25 - at Louisville

2024

08/31 - at Akron

09/21 - Ohio

11/16 - Murray State

11/30 - Louisville

2025

08/30 - Toledo

09/13 - Eastern Michigan

11/15 - Tennessee Tech

11/29 - at Louisville

2026

09/05 - Akron

09/19 - Youngstown State

09/26 - South Alabama

11/28 - Louisville

2027

09/04 - Toledo

09/18 - Murray State

09/25 - Ball State

11/27 - at Louisville

2028

09/02 - at Toledo

09/09 - Kent State

09/30 - Eastern Illinois

11/25 - Louisville

2029

09/01 - Georgia Southern

11/24 - at Louisville

I think the smaller schools need to be saved from themselves. Saban should have bitched about the Kentucky - MACtion, but he’s not objective. His job is win football games for Alabama.

[closetojumping 62,557]

2 hours ago, Underdog said:

Yeah, that’s an incredibly embarrassing and waf non-con. I grew up when they had H&H with PSU, MD, UNC, OU, WVU, KU, Clemson  and had their annual game with IU.  And chances are they’ll buy their way out of a trip to Akron and wherever to add another home cupcake. 

Kentucky’s football scheduling is a fucking embarrassment to general CFB fans. I see it and I cringe. You imbeciles should just hide in a bunker and say nothing and hope no one notices. It’s pathetic and there is no way to rationalize your way out of it. 

[Underdog 28,576]

LOL... Ok.

[Underdog 28,576]

1 hour ago, John80 said:

It's hilarious that "Kentucky football" is in the same sentence with "top ten." Uk hasn't won the SEC since 1950 and in the last 40 years we have had a winning conference record two times. The one top 10 team Kentucky had in 1977 was achieved with massive cheating and probation. Kentucky is like Kansas State when Bill Snyder took over and schedules as such.

 

 

 

Damn shame as that '77 team was damn good money spent, only loss that season was to Baylor in Waco one hot September day. 

[TKthunder2 4,985]

1 hour ago, John80 said:

It's hilarious that "Kentucky football" is in the same sentence with "top ten." Uk hasn't won the SEC since 1950 and in the last 40 years we have had a winning conference record two times. The one top 10 team Kentucky had in 1977 was achieved with massive cheating and probation. Kentucky is like Kansas State when Bill Snyder took over and schedules as such.

I agree, there was absolutely no reason Kentucky should have been ranked as high as 7th in the nation last year after beating (checks notes) Miami of Ohio, Youngstown State, Northern Illinois, and an absurdly overrated Florida team.

But they were:

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll?week=5

[gatormarc 911]

12 hours ago, TKthunder2 said:

I agree, there was absolutely no reason Kentucky should have been ranked as high as 7th in the nation last year after beating (checks notes) Miami of Ohio, Youngstown State, Northern Illinois, and an absurdly overrated Florida team.

But they were:

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll?week=5

It's a perfect example of why early season polls are flawed, since we just don't have data.

Kentucky had earned to be up there by what everyone knew at the time and by the logic of early season polls.

• They were coming off of a 10 win 2021 season including a bowl win over a top 15 B1G school, finishing ranked 18; starting 2022 season at a fair 20th ranking with Levis under center.
• They made their biggest jump to 9 after defeating Florida @ Florida week 2 which is the wild jump
• Florida was a big unknown heading into 2022, reasonably starting unranked
• After week 1, they moved Florida up about 25 spots in the poll to 12 because they just beat what everyone was confidently a legit Utah team.
• Kentucky comes into Gainesville and beats that same Florida team and that's what gives them the crazy move up 11 spots.
• The next couple of weeks was just attrition as highly ranked teams lost their first games.

I hate when later rankings are justified by overreactions in the first few weeks.

Edited May 29, 2023 by gatormarc

[closetohumping 17,435]

14 hours ago, John80 said:

It's hilarious that "Kentucky football" is in the same sentence with "top ten." Uk hasn't won the SEC since 1950 and in the last 40 years we have had a winning conference record two times. The one top 10 team Kentucky had in 1977 was achieved with massive cheating and probation. Kentucky is like Kansas State when Bill Snyder took over and schedules as such.

 

 

 

Top ten in sec

[TKthunder2 4,985]

6 minutes ago, gatormarc said:

It's a perfect example of why early season polls are flawed, since we just don't have data.

Kentucky had earned to be up there by what everyone knew at the time and by the logic of early season polls.

• They were coming off of a 10 win 2021 season including a bowl win over a top 15 B1G school, finishing ranked 18; starting 2022 season at a fair 20th ranking with Levis under center.
• They made their biggest jump to 9 after defeating Florida @ Florida week 2 which is the wild jump
• Florida was a big unknown heading into 2022, reasonably starting unranked
• After week 1, they moved Florida up about 25 spots in the poll to 12 because they just beat what everyone was confidently a legit Utah team.
• Kentucky comes into Gainesville and beats that same Florida team and that's what gives them the crazy move up 11 spots.
• The next couple of weeks was just attrition as highly ranked teams lost their first games.

I hate when later rankings are justified by overreactions in the first few weeks.

Remember when the top 4 CFP rankings were Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn?

That’s the most annoying thing, living outside of the SEC’s sphere over the last decade. Alabama/LSU and other generally deserved their rankings, Mississippi State/Kentucky and their ilk did not and got the benefit of the doubt far too often.

It sets up big time games which inflates rankings and audiences. Which just continually perpetuates the feedback loop where it’s a good loss or a great win. The media (ESPN) echos this constantly, which leads to better rankings and eventually recruiting.

We’ve been making this argument for years…but fuck it, if you can’t beat’em…

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

It’s funny. I never really cared about Bama - Tennessee on the Third Saturday of October, but it might be the very game that saves 3-6. 

[WBT 20,561]

2 hours ago, TKthunder2 said:

We’ve been making this argument for years…but fuck it, if you can’t beat’em…

Fuck that, I'll keep making those arguments

[Gidnik 3,268]

 

[Josef Pwag 1,738]

It will be hilarious if we don't play aggie in our first year in the SEC. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

22 minutes ago, Gidnik said:

 

2024 OOC Schedule is Colorado State, at Michigan, UTSA. We need a P5 opponent if we’re going with 8 games for a year. aggy is going to claim they can’t possibly cancel McNeese, Bowling Green and New Mexico State. 

So we need a guaranteed, one off, home game against a P5 team. I’d imagine every Irate8 and PAC 10 team will line up for the opportunity. 

 

[PilotsError 2,286]

I thought the SEC was the Adult In the Room.  That's why Texas was joining, so Texas could relax and let actual leaders lead for once.

The SEC being held hostage to this absurdity is a weak look.

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

10 minutes ago, PilotsError said:

I thought the SEC was the Adult In the Room.  That's why Texas was joining, so Texas could relax and let actual leaders lead for once.

The SEC being held hostage to this absurdity is a weak look.

Money talks, bullshit walks. ESPN needs to pony up for additional games. Surely an additional 16 SEC games is worth a significant amount of money to Disney. 

[mdmost 42,999]

Having driven through SEC country this weekend, I think our fans are really going to enjoy trips to Knoxville and Nashville. I'm hoping we'll get some clarification on the schedule this week after the meetings happen in Destin as I'd like to go ahead and book rooms and airfare. Also, we're going to thoroughly enjoy the people watching in SEC land as they are such stereotypes of what you think SEC people would be. At least the people I saw in Tennessee surely were. It will be fascinating people watching. 

[LonghornSean 3,989]

 

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,652]

Fine, move bama and Auburn to the East.  Boom  fairly balanced divisions and we play all our rivals 

extra Lolol at lsu, A&M and pigs getting stuck in big12 S 2.0 

[WBT 20,561]

4 hours ago, mdmost said:

Also, we're going to thoroughly enjoy the people watching in SEC land as they are such stereotypes of what you think SEC people would be.

No thanks, I'm good.

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

4 hours ago, LonghornSean said:

 

Yeah Sankey isn’t going to say that unless he has some quid pro quo with ESPN. “Get it to 9 organically and we’ll get you the money” - Iger out. 
 

2 things I know I know. 1) Sankey is the best commissioner in college sports and 2) ESPN is cutting off heads and harvesting the eyeballs right now. They’re trying to claw back their past excessive spending while trying to find money for the NBA and the SEC. 
 

I do hope Sankey is being careful. Namely upfront deliverables. ESPN used the IOU card masterfully with the ACC in exchange for basically ESPN+ and a daily talk show broadcast from some guy’s basement in Charlotte. 

Edited May 30, 2023 by billfromlaketravis

[Texas Wahoo 3,389]

10 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Money talks, bullshit walks. ESPN needs to pony up for additional games. Surely an additional 16 SEC games is worth a significant amount of money to Disney. 

I’m not sure your math is adding up. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

6 minutes ago, Texas Wahoo said:

I’m not sure your math is adding up. 

.

Edited May 30, 2023 by billfromlaketravis

[TKthunder2 4,985]

2 minutes ago, Texas Wahoo said:

I’m not sure your math is adding up. 

UT+OU=8 additional conference games (staying at 8 games)
Going to 9 games means the 16 teams would play each other 1 more time=8 additional conference games.

8+8=16

[gatormarc 911]

I really think they're gonna kick the can down the road a season or two.

https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/29/what-to-expect-sec-spring-meetings-schedule-field-storming

 

Quote

Under consideration is a one-year, temporary eight-game conference schedule in 2024 that will, at least for one year, preserve both primary and secondary rivalries.

 

[Thiefery 4,995]

listening to the SEC show on SIriusXM.. they are calling out people who don't want 9 conference games.  Basically telling schools like UK, SCe to man up.  They too think that the 8 game schedule is most likely taking place next year but feel that a 9 game schedule must happen for the '25 season.

[MAUFRAIS 6,619]

Better that way. A&M can feel like it’s due to us.

[DFW Horn 6,123]

1 hour ago, gatormarc said:

I really think they're gonna kick the can down the road a season or two.

https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/29/what-to-expect-sec-spring-meetings-schedule-field-storming

Anytime a university president mentions, "...the student-athlete's well-being" it's an eye-roller. No concern for that while the basketball team is jetting around the country. How many UK ballers even go to class live rather than online?

[mdmost 42,999]

Yes, it's much better to get your players hurt against a cupcake opponent who you only have coming in so you can sell out your home stadium and get all that gate revenue. I hope the shaming on these 8 game pussies is extremely loud. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

Do the bowl games matter that much to Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas and MS State? Finishing 6-6 and playing a game in Birmingham doesn’t sound like fun or a reward for your players. 
 

I guess if the SEC sends 12 teams to bowls it props up their strength of schedule argument. But this will be irrelevant in the new landscape of the expanded CFP. 
 

Is something else motivating their opposition to 9? 

[Pato del Muerto 52,485]

So, what would espn value more, 8 more sec vs sec games or 16 more sec vs anyone else- with a big and likely incorrect assumption that all 16 are at home and espn has broadcast rights. 

[Thiefery 4,995]

I'm sure ESPN is salivating about status quo for cherry picking opponents in November with ou scheduling ACU and UT scheduling RICE/UTEP/TSU

[DanTheHorn 4,914]

Saban on 8 versus 9 games.

On if he still favors a 9-game SEC schedule…

"I think whatever happens happens. I think there's so many things that probably sort of go into this in terms of eight games versus nine games, including TV contracts and things that are way beyond my scope of visibility that I'm sure a lot of those things will sort of factor into it. But I still am always of the opinion that we should play all Division-I games. I've said this for years. So whether there's 60 teams in the Power 5 conferences or 70 teams or however many there are, that it's better for fans it's better for strength of schedule that we all play all Power 5 games. So however we get to that. I think that's the best thing."

“I think one of the more difficult things with going to nine games is we've tried to schedule two out-of-conference, Power 5 games to try to improve our strength of schedule. Over the next, I don't know, seven, eight, nine, 10 years, and if we go to nine games, we'll have to unwind that. So my deal was always play more SEC games because we couldn't get other people to schedule. So now I think there's more people in tune to scheduling, so having a balance is probably the most important thing."

Edited May 30, 2023 by DanTheHorn

[Royale with cheese 1,466]

1 hour ago, DanTheHorn said:

Saban on 8 versus 9 games.

On if he still favors a 9-game SEC schedule…

“I think one of the more difficult things with going to nine games is we've tried to schedule two out-of-conference, Power 5 games to try to improve our strength of schedule. Over the next, I don't know, seven, eight, nine, 10 years, and if we go to nine games, we'll have to unwind that. So my deal was always play more SEC games because we couldn't get other people to schedule. So now I think there's more people in tune to scheduling, so having a balance is probably the most important thing."

 

[Ignatius 4,017]

On 5/29/2023 at 3:37 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Money talks, bullshit walks.

…but it can’t touch my three lock box.

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

1 hour ago, DanTheHorn said:

Saban on 8 versus 9 games.

On if he still favors a 9-game SEC schedule…

"I think whatever happens happens. I think there's so many things that probably sort of go into this in terms of eight games versus nine games, including TV contracts and things that are way beyond my scope of visibility that I'm sure a lot of those things will sort of factor into it. But I still am always of the opinion that we should play all Division-I games. I've said this for years. So whether there's 60 teams in the Power 5 conferences or 70 teams or however many there are, that it's better for fans it's better for strength of schedule that we all play all Power 5 games. So however we get to that. I think that's the best thing."

“I think one of the more difficult things with going to nine games is we've tried to schedule two out-of-conference, Power 5 games to try to improve our strength of schedule. Over the next, I don't know, seven, eight, nine, 10 years, and if we go to nine games, we'll have to unwind that. So my deal was always play more SEC games because we couldn't get other people to schedule. So now I think there's more people in tune to scheduling, so having a balance is probably the most important thing."

I think the hair dye is leaking into Saban’s brain. Mercer is barely D1. Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, ULM, Eastern Illinois, USF, and UT Martin. 
 

All D1 opponents and destined for 11am kicks on SECN Alternate. Their 2024 home OOC schedule has to be historically bad for the Crimson Tide.  WKU, USF, and Mercer. Many Gumps are spending their life savings on season tickets for that. 
 

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/alabama/

[TexasTroll 454]

22 hours ago, mdmost said:

Having driven through SEC country this weekend, I think our fans are really going to enjoy trips to Knoxville and Nashville. I'm hoping we'll get some clarification on the schedule this week after the meetings happen in Destin as I'd like to go ahead and book rooms and airfare. Also, we're going to thoroughly enjoy the people watching in SEC land as they are such stereotypes of what you think SEC people would be. At least the people I saw in Tennessee surely were. It will be fascinating people watching. 

 

18 hours ago, WBT said:

No thanks, I'm good.

[TexEx15 17,509]

Fuck that. Texas better have OU and A&M as permanent rivals. Jesus they need grownups in the room.

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

Pretty civil answer from Jimbo to be honest. Bohls was obviously trolling because he’s Bohls. 

[Ignatius 4,017]

5 minutes ago, TexEx15 said:

Fuck that. Texas better have OU and A&M as permanent rivals. Jesus they need grownups in the room.

Reading isn’t your thing, is it?

[Treefidy 1,463]

21 hours ago, FORTY NINE TO ZERO said:

Fine, move bama and Auburn to the East.  Boom  fairly balanced divisions and we play all our rivals 

extra Lolol at lsu, A&M and pigs getting stuck in big12 S 2.0 

I would support divisions if they call the west the SWC just to watch aggy implode.  And hopefully the company who makes all the SEC stickers is the same one who makes those illegally parked window stickers.

[Getafix 28,560]

4 hours ago, Royale with cheese said:

 

 

 

Username checks out.

 

[OrangEngr 1,035]

3 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

Fuck that. Texas better have OU and A&M as permanent rivals. Jesus they need grownups in the room.

Just like aggy wouldn’t pick UT to be its ONE rival either. The difference is we have Red River, whereas they are whiny pussy bitches

[Tex Pete 20,334]

3 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

Fuck that. Texas better have OU and A&M as permanent rivals. Jesus they need grownups in the room.

Fuck aggy. We’d be better off never playing them again. Winning 2/3 of the games isn’t enough. They never shut the fuck up. 

[mdmost 42,999]

3 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

Fuck that. Texas better have OU and A&M as permanent rivals. Jesus they need grownups in the room.

Kurt is such a dumb prick. Of course we're picking OU just like aggy is picking LSU as their "rival". We will always value OU over aggy as our main rival. Always.

[WBT 20,561]

29 minutes ago, OrangEngr said:

Just like aggy wouldn’t pick UT to be its ONE rival either. The difference is we have Red River, whereas they are whiny pussy bitches

I mean, only because they know we wouldn't pick them

[BB65 478]

10 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Kurt is such a dumb prick. Of course we're picking OU just like aggy is picking LSU as their "rival". We will always value OU over aggy as our main rival. Always.

But will LSU pick Aggy as their rival

[mdmost 42,999]

Just now, BB65 said:

But will LSU pick Aggy as their rival

Well no but I think LSU won't get Bama which is who they will want. LSU might pick Florida. Bama will pick Auburn or Tennessee. No one is going to pick South Carolina but someone is going to get them regardless. There's only so many teams that can get their chosen rival.

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,447]

2 minutes ago, BB65 said:

But will LSU pick Aggy as their rival

I think LSU gets railroaded into aggy as their 2024 rival. They’d probably prefer Ole Miss, but they’ll want MS State. My best guesses: 

Texas - OU

Bama - Auburn

Georgia - Florida 

Tennessee - Vandy

piggy - Arkansas

Ole Miss - MS State

aggy - LSu

South Carolina - Kentucky

 

The last one because of math, but more importantly they deserve each other.