re: As SEC moves to 16 teams & 3 permanent rivals, who plays who?

LSU, Vanderbilt,Missouri and MissState

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WE HAVE ALMOST NO HISTORY. They are so weird and I hate it whenever we have to play them, even if we win. We have much more history with Ole Miss and Arky. Bama and Auburn as well. Swap A&M and the piggies in most of your suggestions and that works much better.

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LSU has played Texas A&M 60 times. That is almost as many times as LSU has played Florida (67) and Arkansas (67), and MORE games than LSU has played against Auburn (55), Tennessee (33) and Georgia (32). LSU first played A&M in 1899. The only three SEC opponents whom LSU began playing earlier are Ole Miss, Mississippi St, and Alabama.

LSU and A&M played each other for 20 straight years between 1955-1975. They then played every year between 1986-1995. Conference expansion, realignment more or less put an end to that in the mid 90's. But to say LSU and A&M have "almost no history" is ridiculous. It may be a bit of a surprise, but "history" did begin prior to 2000

I am also in the minority, I guess, but the Florida game (along with Auburn and Bama) is like a bowl game to me, no matter what the records are. Have never understood why whiners have been griping about them being our permanent East match up. I mean, you’d rather watch us play Vandy every year?? That being said, there is great potential for the LSU / ATM rivalry to grow

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There will never be a SEC north!

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There will never be an Alabama in anything with North attached to it

First time poster, occasional lurker. Great board, coming from an Aggie.

Many interesting points raised in this thread, but FWIW and if you care for an Aggie's perspective...

1 - I would rather OU and UT not have been let in, but since we have no say...
2 - I am thinking the only solution that seems to make the most sense is pods. Not saying I like it, but it is what it is.
3 - I don't know why some of you think some backroom deal has been made, at the request of A&M, to keep us out of a pod/division/arrangement with Texas. You're crazy if you think A&M and Texas won't be put back together. Too much history and money involved. It's on the level of Bama / Auburn, OU / Texas, Tennessee / Florida, etc. Texas A&M is not at all scared of playing them. We split the series with them in the period after we became a co-ed, non-mandatory military school. And when we left the Big 12 stated we would keep the rivalry (they actually declined it). Crazy to think A&M cares about keeping it separate after Texas joins the SEC. We didn't want them to join the SEC, as it locks up recruiting for us. Once Texas was let in, we don't care anymore.
4 - Aggies do think of LSU as a "rival", but are indifferent if you think of us as one. As a Tiger pointed out, we actually have played 60 times, so had history before we even joined the SEC. As another Tiger friend of mine told me, you guys think of any SEC team on your schedule as a rival. Different viewpoints, but we aren't obsessed about it either.
5 - As much as I hate this, the pod that makes the most sense for us is Texas A&M, Texas, OU, Arkansas. I would rater LSU in it over Arkansas. Frankly, credit to you, better opponent and we have more of a sense of historical rivalry with you than Arkansas. We just think of them as the next team on the schedule (despite the attempt to make it a rivalry in Jerryworld). It would be even worse for me if they put us with Texas, OU and Missouri, as it would feel too much like we were in the BDF again. Missouri should be a B1G school.

Of course, just one man's guesses and ramblings as to what may happen. The above said... though totally unrealistic... If I could just pick the pod I want us to be in....

A&M, LSU, Bama, Auburn

(totally ignoring other rivalry match ups, realistic power balances, etc. and just focusing on the three games I want to see us play every year)

I think Mizzou, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M play each other. Best out of them plays the real SEC teams.

Same thing with USCe, Kentucky, Vandy, and Tennessee, except that they are actually SEC schools.

That leaves, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Bama, State, Ole Miss & LSU taking all comers.

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SEC "North"

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As others have subsequently stated, “SEC North” can’t happen. That’s sacrilege.

Your setup and pods are otherwise good. Just call them SEC Mid or SEC Central instead.

That looks awful

I want to play these teams every year:

Bama
UF
AU

Historically these have been the most entertaining games to watch and the most anticipated game when the season starts. Also these are the 3 road games you want to travel to…..

I also want to play UGA, Tenn more then we do now. A four year player should get to play home and away with every SEC team

I don’t give a frick about Texas A&M.

I want to play Auburn and Florida.