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Jeff Schultz: Deep South's Oldest Rivalry at risk
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:22 pm
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:22 pm
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quote:
There is a chance that SEC conference expansion will claim one significant victim: The Georgia-Auburn series.
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Wednesday that SEC athletic directors will meet near the end of the month to discuss future football scheduling. With the conference’s addition of Texas A&M and Missouri, the two biggest questions: 1) Will the SEC go to a nine-game conference schedule? 2) Will expansion force for the end of the SEC’s annual East-West rivalry games of Georgia-Auburn and Alabama-Tennessee?
Answer to No. 1: Probably not.
Answer to No. 2: Possibly.
Georgia-Auburn is known as the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” dating back to 1893. They have played every year since 1898, with three exceptions: 1917, 1918 and 1943. The reasons: World War I and World War II. It appears “Conference Armageddon” may have an equal impact.
The ACC recently announced that teams will begin playing nine-game conference schedules when Pittsburgh and Syracuse officially join the league. McGarity is against the SEC increasing from eight-game schedules and does not sense there’s any movement in that direction. He said nine conference games might necessitate schools dropping a traditional local rivalry. Examples: Georgia-Georgia Tech, Florida-Florida State and South-Carolina-Clemson.
The future of Georgia-Auburn is less certain. Expansion will lead to schools playing six games against division opponents and two against the opposite division. (The current breakdown is five-three.) But there are only two traditional East-West rivalries in the SEC, which could lead to schools rotating opponents from the opposite division.
“I think if you ask Alabama and Tennessee, like us and Auburn, we’d like to retain the games,” McGarity said. “But does that work? What do the other 10 schools think? Those four schools like having those games but there’s no other East-West match-up that has that piece of history to it. So I don’t [know] where that fits in.”
He said athletic directors will study “numerous models” when they meet.
“With 14 teams, not everybody will be happy,” he said. “Some will have a problem with everything. But we’ll make decisions based on the best situation of the league.”
This post was edited on 2/8/12 at 2:29 pm
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:24 pm to Swoopin
Should we get the lawmakers involved like in SC to protect their rivalry with Clemson?
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:25 pm to Swoopin
quote:
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
LSU vs. Tulane?
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:26 pm to Swoopin
Yeah, but you guys get to play TAMU and Mizzou now. That totally makes up for losing a 120 year tradition.
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:34 pm to Swoopin
I really hope that doesn't happen, but unfortunately I do think this game will ultimately be a casualty of expansion.
This post was edited on 2/8/12 at 2:35 pm
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:42 pm to Swoopin
frick what the other 10 schools think!!
If we lose UGA, im burnung College Station to the ground...Caresh style!!
If we lose UGA, im burnung College Station to the ground...Caresh style!!
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:43 pm to Swoopin
If the rest of the SEC does that, frick'em.
Sign UGA to an out-of-conference game.
Sign UGA to an out-of-conference game.
Posted on 2/8/12 at 2:44 pm to Swoopin
as a fan and customer, I want a nine game conference schedule, and a rule that states everyone must play at least one OOC BCS opponent each year.
Two cup-cakes a year should be enough.
Two cup-cakes a year should be enough.
Posted on 2/8/12 at 3:20 pm to Swoopin
As a Bama fan, all I have been able to think about during expansion discussions (besides dreading trips to Columbia and College Station) is losing the Third Saturday of October. It is by far the most meaningful rivalry game for me (and I'm only 30) and the thought of losing it to allow these clowns into my conference makes me sick. There is nothing more old school than Bama/UT and AU/UGA. Don't screw this up Slive. Do whatever you have to do, but don't mess with these games.
Posted on 2/9/12 at 12:55 am to Swoopin
that would be utter horse shite
Posted on 2/9/12 at 9:10 am to Swoopin
quote:
“With 14 teams, not everybody will be happy,” he said. “Some will have a problem with everything. But we’ll make decisions based on the best situation of the league.”
biggest difference between the sec and big 12 is illustrated in those words. cooperation results in a stronger more cohesive league and that is more profitable for all in the long run.
kudos to the SEC!
Posted on 2/9/12 at 1:14 pm to Swoopin
quote:
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
My favorite game of the year
Posted on 2/9/12 at 1:42 pm to Swoopin
dont worry about it, rivalries are overrated...
Posted on 2/9/12 at 3:29 pm to Swoopin
shite they should have thought about before expanding the conference when none of the fans wanted it.
Posted on 2/10/12 at 4:50 am to Swoopin
Move AL and AU to the East.
Problems solved.
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