re: ESPN will sweeten the pot if SEC adds 9th game.

As an Arkansas fan, I wouldn’t hate this but would miss annual games with Ole Miss and LSU. Actually, I would prefer OM and LSU over whatever other option there is.

What would actually happen is Arkansas being paired with some combination with Mizzou.

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It has to be USC. UGA and USC is the 2nd geographically closest pair of SEC schools behind State and Alabama

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South Carolina would be my choice if it were up to me. Great series, usually a good game, good fans and, living in the Augusta area, a great Friday night festival before the Saturday game every year....even when both teams are down or UGA is likely to beat them by 40 points Border Bash is a pretty fun event....

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It's embarrasing we only play 8

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I also want a 9 game SEC schedule but this comment is absolutely stupid. Even at 8, the SEC usually leads in strength of schedule.

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Is this the thread where everyone says they should play a couple decent teams and a patsy, while Bama must play three perennial powerhouse teams?

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Well, since that's never been said before, we don't know.

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We would have had 9 already had Saban not thrown a fit at having LSU Tennessee and Auburn

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Although I hate defending Little Nicky, this is not true. Saban has said he was in favor of 9 games. The opposition came from the SEC bottom feeders who did not want to add another loss making it less likely that they would be bowl eligible.

I would be good with Oklahoma's 3 permanent opponents being Arkansas, LSU, and the swimming school.

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3 permanent opponents?

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I assume UGA would be UF, Auburn and either Vandy or UK but possibly South Carolina. USC has not been a conference foe as long as the other 2 but UGA has played them a BUNCH....


Looks like UGA has played USC about the same number of times as Kentucky, around 78 or so, while they have played Vandy about 90 times. Of course everybody is going to want Vandy as a permanent opponent LOL...


Looks like maybe Vandy has played UT, UK and Ole Miss more than anyone in the conference...

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So, 2 years ago, when they were supposed to make the decision on scheduling format, the conference office decided that they would try to competitively balance the permanent opponents by dividing the league in two, based upon conference winning percentage the preceeding 10(?) years. Teams that were in that top half of that division got two permanent opponents from the top half, and one from the bottom, while teams in the bottom half got two from the bottom and one from the top.

The break between the upper half and the lower half was A&M (upper) and Tennessee (lower). This meant that, in putting together Bama's permanent opponents, UT counted as their low team, so the conference office proposed Bama's permanent opponents to be Auburn (upper), UT (lower) and...surprise! Nic...LSU (upper). This didn't play well with Saban, who switched on a dime from being the biggest proponent for a 9 game schedule to opposing it, and tipped the balance.

Now that ESPN has offered what will probably work out to $3 million per school per year, the money excuse is probably off the table. So, I think 9 will happen. However, I hope that they give up on the idea of balancing the permanent opponents, because you just can't do it and come up with something that makes sense. Furthermore, with the 9 game schedule, if you have 3 tough permanent opponents, your rotating opponents are going to be weaker, so it should be pretty much a wash.

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Saban has said he was in favor of 9 games.

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until he found out who Alabama’s 3 opponents would be, then he changed his tune

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so between 3.125M and 5M more per school for one additional conference game? that doesn't come close to moving the needle on an already $811M payout -

this is the once chance to get it right for the long term - and if cash-strapped budget cutting ESPN is making a 50-80M opening bid - a 9th game is worth more and they know it -

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Obviously Bama's 3 should be Auburn, Tennessee and Miss St. I'd miss beating LSU most every year, but the other 3 make more sense.

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Yes. It's very obvious for Bama, and that's why the contrived balancing was so ridiculous. Now, it won't work out that neatly for everyone, but if they will just stop overthinking it and go with the obvious matchups, it will all work out over time.