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A Different List of Permanent Opponents: Geography, Rivalries, and Balance
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:03 am
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:03 am
I've made a few groupings the past few days. This time, I started with Mizzou and kept a high amount of Big 8/Southwest tradition. Oklahoma and A&M even have mirror opponents (each other, Texas, and Mizzou).
No one has three juggernauts and no one has a random opponent with no history of a series with each other. The only thing missing are the obvious money grabs for tv (Tenn/Fla and Bama/LSU).
My biggest issue is that Tennessee and Ole Miss both get lighter permanents because of Vandy, but there is history of a series there. It's hard to predict if these lower end teams will stay as a layup or not because there have been years where Kentucky, State, and Vandy have been a tough out.
Bama: Aub, Tenn, State
Ark: LSU, Mizzou, Texas
Aub: Bama, UGA, State
Fla: UGA, LSU, Carolina
UGA: Aub, Fla, Carolina
Ken: Tenn, Vandy, Carolina
LSU: Ark, OM, Fla
OM: LSU, State, Vandy
State: OM, Bama, Aub
Mizzou: Ark, OU, A&M
OU: Texas, Mizzou, A&M
Carolina: UGA, Fla, Ken
Tenn, Bama, Vandy, Ken
Texas: OU, A&M, Ark
A&M: Texas, OU, Mizzou
Vandy: Tenn, Ken, OM
No one has three juggernauts and no one has a random opponent with no history of a series with each other. The only thing missing are the obvious money grabs for tv (Tenn/Fla and Bama/LSU).
My biggest issue is that Tennessee and Ole Miss both get lighter permanents because of Vandy, but there is history of a series there. It's hard to predict if these lower end teams will stay as a layup or not because there have been years where Kentucky, State, and Vandy have been a tough out.
Bama: Aub, Tenn, State
Ark: LSU, Mizzou, Texas
Aub: Bama, UGA, State
Fla: UGA, LSU, Carolina
UGA: Aub, Fla, Carolina
Ken: Tenn, Vandy, Carolina
LSU: Ark, OM, Fla
OM: LSU, State, Vandy
State: OM, Bama, Aub
Mizzou: Ark, OU, A&M
OU: Texas, Mizzou, A&M
Carolina: UGA, Fla, Ken
Tenn, Bama, Vandy, Ken
Texas: OU, A&M, Ark
A&M: Texas, OU, Mizzou
Vandy: Tenn, Ken, OM
This post was edited on 8/24/25 at 9:10 am
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Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:05 am to all4AU
A&M feels more like Texas, LSU, Arkansas
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:19 am to all4AU
I approve. Great job.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 9:30 am to all4AU
quote:
my biggest issue is that Tennessee and Ole Miss both get lighter permanents because of Vandy
I’m sure we were saying the same thing back in the 30s being assigned Vandy when they were killing everybody, the worm turned get over it.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:14 am to Pvt Hudson
quote:
A&M feels more like Texas, LSU, Arkansas
It's not about everyone getting their top 3 choices (not possible). A move like that throws other schools off. It's about getting opponents that make sense for everyone.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:15 am to Pvt Hudson
quote:
A&M feels more like Texas, LSU, Arkansas
Agreed. LSU fans won't admit it but they've created a pretty good rivalry with the Ags. I would hate to see that game go away every year.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:17 am to all4AU
quote:
My biggest issue is that Tennessee and Ole Miss both get lighter permanents because of Vandy, but there is history of a series there
Tennessee gets the benefit of Vandy being in state and we get the benefit of them being out east “rival.”
Somebody has to play them.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:24 am to all4AU
As an OU fan... Obviously we have to keep Texas....
But being on the edge of the conference... it would be really nice to have Arkansas simply because it is by far the closest place to Oklahoma. Fayetteville is less than 30 miles from the Oklahoma border and Tulsa is only 90 minutes away. Norman is three hours and change away from Fayetteville.
Nobody else's campus is within 5 hours of Norman.
But being on the edge of the conference... it would be really nice to have Arkansas simply because it is by far the closest place to Oklahoma. Fayetteville is less than 30 miles from the Oklahoma border and Tulsa is only 90 minutes away. Norman is three hours and change away from Fayetteville.
Nobody else's campus is within 5 hours of Norman.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:26 am to all4AU
Works for me
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:33 am to all4AU
Good work. I would really prefer to play Florida instead of State. I know we’ve played them like 99 times, second only to UGA, but I miss that UF series.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:33 am to Pvt Hudson
quote:
A&M feels more like Texas, LSU, Arkansas
For Arkansas, I would like this pairing.
But we are destined to be stuck with Missouri. I don’t see how we can avoid it.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:40 am to Sus-Scrofa
I believe Yurachek stated the last time the idea for 9 games was being thrown around the SEC had determined our 3 opponents would be Texas, Mizzou and Ole Miss. I don’t see a reason for that to change.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:44 am to all4AU
quote:
A&M feels more like Texas, LSU, Arkansas
It's not about everyone getting their top 3 choices (not possible). A move like that throws other schools off. It's about getting opponents that make sense for everyone.
It’s not what everyone wants, it’s what we see as inevitable. The SEC office has proven through actions that they want to keep LSU and A&M as yearly opponents.
I see LSU having Ole Miss and A&M as yearly opponents as a virtual lock. LSU’s third opponent will be one of the following three: Bama, Florida, or Arkansas.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:46 am to Pvt Hudson
I hope LSU can somehow maneuver away from A&M as a permanent opponent…it makes us look bad to be that closely associated with that clown program
Posted on 8/24/25 at 10:58 am to Gunga Din
quote:
But being on the edge of the conference... it would be really nice to have Arkansas simply because it is by far the closest place to Oklahoma. Fayetteville is less than 30 miles from the Oklahoma border and Tulsa is only 90 minutes away. Norman is three hours and change away from Fayetteville.
I agree, and it would be simple for the OP to switch out A&M for Ark with LSU.
OU: Ark, Texas, Miz
LSU: UF, OM, A&M
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:00 am to all4AU
It’s a good list but one question needs to be answered before any list can be completed.
Who are LSU and Oklahoma playing for Thanksgiving?
1 - Each Other
2 - Arkansas / Mizzou
3 - OOC
All the other Thanksgiving Games are set. That’s 1 Perm for all teams and makes the picking process easier after that.
Perm 1
Alabama vs Auburn
Ole Miss vs Miss State
Texas vs Texas A&M
Tennessee vs Vanderbilt
Florida * vs Georgia *
So Carolina * vs Kentucky *
* play OOC for Thanksgiving
That leaves these 4 teams.
LSU
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Mizzou
Option 1
LSU vs Oklahoma
Arkansas vs Mizzou
Option 2
LSU vs Arkansas
Oklahoma vs Mizzou
Option 3
LSU vs OOC?
OU vs OOC?
Imo, that question has to be #1.
Who are LSU and Oklahoma playing for Thanksgiving?
1 - Each Other
2 - Arkansas / Mizzou
3 - OOC
All the other Thanksgiving Games are set. That’s 1 Perm for all teams and makes the picking process easier after that.
Perm 1
Alabama vs Auburn
Ole Miss vs Miss State
Texas vs Texas A&M
Tennessee vs Vanderbilt
Florida * vs Georgia *
So Carolina * vs Kentucky *
* play OOC for Thanksgiving
That leaves these 4 teams.
LSU
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Mizzou
Option 1
LSU vs Oklahoma
Arkansas vs Mizzou
Option 2
LSU vs Arkansas
Oklahoma vs Mizzou
Option 3
LSU vs OOC?
OU vs OOC?
Imo, that question has to be #1.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:13 am to HorninHouston
quote:
LSU fans won't admit it but they've created a pretty good rivalry with the Ags,
LSU fan here, I will admit it.
Losing to Aggy makes me ill.
It all started with that 7OT theft job that was put on LSU.
This post was edited on 8/24/25 at 11:16 am
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:18 am to HorninHouston
quote:
Agreed. LSU fans won't admit it but they've created a pretty good rivalry with the Ags. I would hate to see that game go away every year.
But there are other games LSU fans would want more each year than ATM if that's the metric.
I consistently see OM, AU, FL, Bama, State, and Arky mentioned more among the LSU fans. We've played State, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Florida all more than ATM, and LSU/AU is just a game that's always been entertaining for both fanbases.
For ATM, Texas, OU, and Arky make the most since if you look at number of times each program has played.
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:22 am to ibldprplgld
quote:
We've played State, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Florida all more than ATM, and LSU/AU is just a game that's always been entertaining for both fanbases.
But who are you going to play over Thanksgiving? All of those teams are taken already.
Oklahoma, Arkansas or OOC
Posted on 8/24/25 at 11:29 am to BigBro
quote:
But who are you going to play over Thanksgiving? All of those teams are taken already.
Oklahoma, Arkansas or OOC
Arkansas makes the most since. We had a nice Thanksgiving game for many years against them, and that ugly arse Boot trophy.
Arkansas/Missouri is contrived because the SEC tried to make LSU/ATM a rivalry thing over Thanksgiving. Texas in the SEC fixes that.
And honestly, who gives a shite about missouri? No one I've seen tbh.
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