re: Florida to rotate onto Alabama's schedule in 2014?

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but the 2011 Alabama defense vs the 2008 UF offense would have been one for the ages.

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I agree. And I would love to see it.

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In 1992, Florida was assigned the easiest cross-division opponent, and has cakewalked to nearly one third of the conference championships and 3 NC's in that time. It's high time they had to face real teams from the west.

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Not sure if serious.

And FSU fans still bitch about it over 15 years later.

Welcome to the club my friend

Our teams shall forever be Big 2 of CG rematches

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In 1992, Florida was assigned the easiest cross-division opponent, and has cakewalked to nearly one third of the conference championships and 3 NC's in that time. It's high time they had to face real teams from the west.


Not sure if serious.

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Well, in 1992, Florida had LSU and Auburn. Through the 90s (92-99), LSU had a losing record (44-46-1) and 5 of their 8 seasons in that stretch were losing seasons. Right before we went to 1 division opponent, LSU had just started to make strides (a winning season in 2000), but nothing spectacular. Auburn, on the other hand, went 59-31-2 in the same 90s stretch, had an undefeated season in 93, and just 2 losing seasons. In 2000 they went 9-4, just a hair better than LSU's 8-4, but LSU became Florida's cross-division opponent. At the time, it would certainly appear that they were getting the "easier" permanent opponent.

Obviously, that's not the case, as that was the start of the Nick Saban run @ LSU, and LSU has been a steamroller ever since.

Now, how did they determine that Florida would end up with LSU? My guess is that Auburn's long-standing rivalry with Georgia, and Alabama's with Tennessee, locked those two in. At the end of the 90s Florida (83-18-1) and Tennessee (81-17-0) were neck and neck. In the 90s & 2000, the teams representing the West the most were:
Alabama - 5 times
Auburn - 2 times
Arkansas - 1 time
MSU - 1 time

The other teams who made it to the SECCG ended up with, as their permanent opponents:
South Carolina (40-60-1 in that stretch)
Kentucky (39-63-0)

Alabama dropped their easy cross-division opponent , Vandy, and kept their much harder rival. Auburn dropped Florida, but kept UGA, who, while not having as much success as Florida during that time, was at least decent (67-37-1).

So, when the SEC went from 2 to 1 rivals, the teams from the West who had the hardest teams, in order:
LSU
Alabama
Auburn
Arkansas
Mississippi State
Ole Miss (Vandy - 31-68)

The East, on the other hand:

Tennessee (Alabama - 76-31-1*)
Georgia (Auburn - 68-35-2)
Kentucky (MSU - 60-43-2)
Vandy (Ole Miss - 60-44)
Florida (LSU - 52-50-1)
USCe (Arkansas - 52-50-2)

* - on-field results, as the purpose is to display perceived strength. Yes, I am well aware that UA had to forfeit the majority of their 1993 season due to a player signing with an agent. It did not alter perceived strength of the team.

So, basically, as far as the SEC was concerned, when they went from 2 to 1, the big winner in the East (combining current contenders and their 1 permanent West opponent) was Florida, as UGA and Tennessee had the two West teams with the best records since divisions had been formed. Of the West teams, Arky, MSU and OM all pulled teams that had been, quite frankly, BAD during that stretch.

On a side note, Spurrier is upset because they are rotating Arkansas off (now to play Missouri, as Arky is by far the closest team to Mizzou) and USCe will now play Texas A&M... just as Arky is falling off the radar and A&M is getting good. Spurrier's just upset that now that USCe isn't Arky's gimme game anymore, he has to trade them in for A&M. That was the result, however, of giving Missouri the permanent opponent that involves the shortest distance for travel.

I'm not saying I think it's fair, though. The simple fact of the matter, however, is that of the "contenders" during the 90s, Alabama got the toughest draw. It's easy now, as Tennessee is in a downward spiral, but those opponents weren't selected at the time with some perception that Alabama was getting the easy run. Heck, based on the trends, Tennessee should've been the one complaining, as it surely looked like Florida was getting the cupcake (not knowing Saban would turn LSU around).

The best thing would be to alter the divisions, *IF* we keep geographical divisions, to where Missouri isn't traveling 3-4 states away for half their division games.

I liked the pod idea posed before. I think it would certainly be interesting.

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Would've gotten destroyed by 09, 11, or 12 Bama

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Got winning lottery numbers?

Dude, there are facts to support this. '09 team would have knocked Tebow out of the game in the first quarter. '10 team would have held UF to crossing midfield one time and last year's team would have run all over Spikes and Co. when it was determined Brandon had an imaginary girlfriend.

Florida should be breaking a new head coach by then.