SEC help in scheduling power conference games

[Tbaen]

Have any of y'all heard anything about how, specifically, the SEC intends to "help" schools like State with OOC scheduling?

I, being a lifelong Bulldog, immediately duck my head when I hear, to borrow a phrase, "I'm from the SEC and I'm here to help you."

Will the "help" be in the form of setting up a kickoff classic type game? Guaranteed TV for an opponent on the SEC network?

It occurred to me today that if the league really wanted to "help" with scheduling they would promise good old Indiana or Duke (or whoever) that if they will agree to a home and home with a less nationally glamorous team, i.e. State, that they will also get a home and home with a big name such as Bama or Florida. For example, agree to a 4 year deal with the league--Away to MSU, Home to Bama, Home to MSU, Away to Bama.

A simpler solution I've heard bandied about is setting up some sort of opening week "conference challenge" but that sounds like a recipe for neutral site games. IMO, we need home-and-homes and without something from the league to really make that enticing, I think it's gonna be hard to achieve.

[nsvltndog]

The problem that I see is why are any of these other conferences going to want to help the SEC? If they are all playing 9 conference games, are they really going to be looking for 1 of their 3 remaining games to be against an SEC team? We all saw how much Mike Gundy complained about having to play us in the opener.

As much as I hate to say it, a lot of programs still look at scheduling teams like MSU and Ole Miss as having a lot to lose, but little to gain for a big time program to do a home and home against us. The middle and lower tier teams are likely to be focused on making sure they can win their 6 games to get to a bowl instead of adding an SEC team to the schedule.

As cool as this new concept sounds, I think 9 SEC games makes more sense.

[Political Hack]

it's a boneheaded move. it's damn near the only way the sec could've put a rule in place that will let other conferences screw the SEC. if I'm the commish of the big 12, ACC, big ten, or PAC-random number im on the phone immediately figuring out the future schedules.

Bama, you get Washington State.
LSU, you get Indiana.
Vandy, Ohio State.
Kentucky, USC.
OM, Oklahoma.
State, Florida State.

[Homedawg]

Keep in mind Alabama just played duke on the road. This isn't life threatening. It will work, just watch

[thf24]

If we ever go to the SEC for scheduling "help," it damn well better not be while LT is still there.

[Martianlander]

SEC didn't think this one through. Other conferences are going to retaliate on this.

[chef dixon]

I think its going to be awesome. Not sure what people are "afraid" of. Try looking at it purely as a fan for entertainment purposes and it makes our season more exciting, period.

[Political Hack]

I think its going to be awesome. Not sure what people are "afraid" of. Try looking at it purely as a fan for entertainment purposes and it makes our season more exciting, period.

it's being some for TV ratings. I agree it brings better games, but it's going to make bowl games less attainable for State, OM, Vandy, UK, Arkansas, & UT in the near term. It took two overtime wins to get a bowl last year because of the kick off game against Ok State.... not to mention the injuries.

[Pollodawg]

I don't mind us playing teams from other conferences as long as they are one our level. Gimme a mid-tier ACC or Pac Whatever team. I don't want to play Ohio State (even though it would probably be fun watching Dan and Urban duel again), but USC might be fun. We could beat a known "power" sort of like Michigan in the GB.

[Hypnodawg]

We effectively got two bowl games last year because of the Ok State game. And only one of the two was worth watching past half time. Nix the scrub games. Insert more quality games.

[jumbo]

I assumed it meant the SEC would pay the other school to take the game

[dawgs]

Why is the PAC 12 being called the "PAC-random number" or "PAC-whatever"? Pac 10 became the PAC 12 when they added an 11th and 12th program. It's the big 12 and big 10 that have "random" numbers not matching their actual memberships. So if you are trying to make a joke, it's a dumb one. The other option is you don't realize the PAC 10 and now PAC 12 actually makes far more sense than the big 12 and big 10 names.

[Political Hack]

Why is the PAC 12 being called the "PAC-random number" or "PAC-whatever"? Pac 10 became the PAC 12 when they added an 11th and 12th program. It's the big 12 and big 10 that have "random" numbers not matching their actual memberships. So if you are trying to make a joke, it's a dumb one. The other option is you don't realize the PAC 10 and now PAC 12 actually makes far more sense than the big 12 and big 10 names.

the PAC will consistently be changing their name over the next decade... the Big Ten kept it's originality.

[Todd4State]

We effectively got two bowl games last year because of the Ok State game. And only one of the two was worth watching past half time. Nix the scrub games. Insert more quality games.

I'd rather go to a NYD bowl than a Kickoff Classic and a minor bowl.

[BulldogBear]

I assumed it meant the SEC would pay the other school to take the game

I'm more afraid of them giving us extra $$$ to travel to somebody else. I don;t really like this deal at all. I've weighed in heavily on a prior thread on this. I don't like putting the power of scheduling into other conferences' hands.

[BulldogBear]

the PAC will consistently be changing their name over the next decade... the Big Ten kept it's originality.

Yep, it's about branding with them. They'll stay Big Ten no matter what. In their case it makes sense. Pac-xx has to change the number or it's name. It was the Pac-8 that only some of us may remember (I was itty bitty) then picked up Arizona and Arizona State from the WAC and became the Pac-10. The Big Ten name has been around forever and even had 11 once before anyway I think. Michigan State came in later but not sure if Chicago was gone already. Now that I think about it they may have been. They kept the name then when it was 9 and brought in MSU to get back to ten but it was not right away IIRC. Anyway, I'm saying "Big Ten" and Big Ten country as a sort of college sports label for the Midwest has been a staple for a long time...Pac-xx, not so much. I wonder if there is a smaller conference somewhere with the name Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC). If not, they might take that if the numbers got to sounding ridiculous.

[Todd4State]

I think what's going to end up happening is we are probably going to end up in a bunch of Kickoff Classics in some random city like Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, etc. because allegedly the problem that we have had in the past is getting teams to Starkville to play us. According to Dan (I think) MSU had reached out to other BCS teams in the past before and that was the issue.

I doubt we are going to have all that much say over who we play to be honest with you. They care about TV ratings- not what's best for us. I think they are going to match us up with other engineering/agriculture/land grant schools like us. Like Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Washington State, etc.

That said, I don't think this rule will last. Either the SEC will expand or everyone else will realize what a dumbass LT is and have him forced out. Not sure what happens first.

[Todd4State]

I'm more afraid of them giving us extra $$$ to travel to somebody else. I don;t really like this deal at all. I've weighed in heavily on a prior thread on this. I don't like putting the power of scheduling into other conferences' hands.

That's certainly a possibility. LT was the guy that worked out the MSU home game against Florida in Orlando. I don't like having control over our OOC schedule. That's absurd and honestly, it's un-American.

I could see us playing Georgia Tech at the Georgia Dome.

If Scott had a brain, he would get some people together like the Miskelly's, the furniture guys in Tupelo and try to put together a KO classic in Jackson or Memphis.

[Johnson85]

Will the "help" be in the form of setting up a kickoff classic type game? Guaranteed TV for an opponent on the SEC network?



I think the 'help' will be basically dictating games to us. They'll set up something, and whether we like or not, we'll have to go with it because we won't be able to negotiate a reasonable deal with anybody when they know we have to have a BCS conference opponent. Unless there is a handshake agreement with another conference like the ACC to set up something like an ACC/SEC showdown to open the season, this is murdering the negotiation strength of SEC schools. UK and Vandy (assuming they tank this year) will be able to get games because everybody will want to schedule a weak SEC team. Big name schools will be able to get their matchup because teams want to play name schools. But teams like UM and MSU and to a lesser extent Arkansas will get screwed, because people will see it as high risk, no reward. Why schedule against a team that's not a name school unless you're sure you can beat them. A mid tier school from another conference would be idiots to schedule us right now and it's pretty damn risky even for a top tier school.

[Todd4State]

I think the 'help' will be basically dictating games to us. They'll set up something, and whether we like or not, we'll have to go with it because we won't be able to negotiate a reasonable deal with anybody when they know we have to have a BCS conference opponent. Unless there is a handshake agreement with another conference like the ACC to set up something like an ACC/SEC showdown to open the season, this is murdering the negotiation strength of SEC schools. UK and Vandy (assuming they tank this year) will be able to get games because everybody will want to schedule a weak SEC team. Big name schools will be able to get their matchup because teams want to play name schools. But teams like UM and MSU and to a lesser extent Arkansas will get screwed, because people will see it as high risk, no reward. Why schedule against a team that's not a name school unless you're sure you can beat them. A mid tier school from another conference would be idiots to schedule us right now and it's pretty damn risky even for a top tier school.

That's the thing- Kentucky has Louisville. So, they're good. Arkansas has their old SWC ties to fall back on. Vandy can probably get some nerd school to play them.

[dawgs]

the PAC will consistently be changing their name over the next decade... the Big Ten kept it's originality.

I find sticking with the wrong number of teams to be far dumber. Either way, the PAC 12 is hardly a random number, it's clearly reflecting the number of teams in the conference. Just seems like a stupid attempt to take a shot at the conference. And it's not like the PAC 12 has been adding and losing teams all over the place where the name changes almost yearly, like the ACC would be. They've made one expansion in 35 years (give or take).

[Pollodawg]

I find sticking with the wrong number of teams to be far dumber. Either way, the PAC 12 is hardly a random number, it's clearly reflecting the number of teams in the conference. Just seems like a stupid attempt to take a shot at the conference. And it's not like the PAC 12 has been adding and losing teams all over the place where the name changes almost yearly, like the ACC would be. They've made one expansion in 35 years (give or take).

A better question: Why do you care?

[Political Hack]

A better question: Why do you care?

seems personal. I think he should change his username to dawgs12. seriously though, conferences are in a growth pattern and they will be required to change their name again in the next several years. It's a forecasting thing... Big Ten got it right from a branding standpoint. The PAC-8, PAC-10, PAC-12, and soon to be PAC-insert random number did not.

[M.Fillmore]

I think Jackie Sherrill is right, we will eventually have four 16 team conferences.

We can then have the Pac 16, Big 16, ACC and the SEC.

[Todd4State]

I think Jackie Sherrill is right, we will eventually have four 16 team conferences.

We can then have the Pac 16, Big 16, ACC and the SEC.

I think he's right too.

[Barking 13]

I think he's right too.

Makes the most sense

[M.Fillmore]

Jackie's genius is that he began saying this many years ago. This is not a recent prediction.

Think about it, we had a coach who could see far into the future and he was stuck with LT. You have to wonder what MSU could have accomplished in the 90's with a good AD.