College Gameday Comin' To Our City - Go Dawgs And Hotty Toddy - Let's Go

FROM THE
booth
JEFF DANTZLER
@jeffdantzlerTV
The toughest conference in the land is about to be a whole lot different,
so let’s look at some possible scheduling scenarios to keep the buzz
With Ole Miss making its first
trip to Athens since 2012, it
seems a good week to have
our annual discussion about
the future of Southeastern Conference
scheduling. Next season, Oklahoma and
Texas enter the league. The schedule
for 2024 is set - at least as far as the
opponents go, we should officially know
the dates soon. There will be eight SEC
games again in 2024, presumably for the
last time.
Though there is some support from
certain segments in the conference, the
general consensus is that in all likelihood,
we will play nine conference games
beginning in 2025, the second year of
Texas and Oklahoma, coinciding with the
new television contracts.
Everyone wants more good games.
As far as the scheduling model, that’s a
hot debate. Trying to get 16 universities,
presidents, athletic directors, fan bases
and football coaches on the same page
is not an easy task. Heading up the
challenge is the preeminent commissioner
in all of sports, Greg Sankey.
It’s not an easy job.
Let’s start with what the most likely
scenario is, the three-six-six model. This
concept would have each school in
the league have three opponents they
annually play. For example, let’s say in
Georgia’s case, that would mean, for
example … again nothing has been set
… that the Bulldogs would play Florida,
South Carolina and Kentucky every
year (Pod A). Those four schools, for
scheduling purposes, would be a Pod. Let’s
hypothesize that the other pods shaped
up as follows:
Pod B: Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee and
Vanderbilt.
Pod C: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU
and Texas A&M.
Pod D: Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and
Missouri.
Over a four year period in this model,
along with the three annual foes, Georgia,
for example, would play the two teams
from each Pod. Three would be at home,
three on the road. The next year, Georgia
would play the other two teams from each
Pod, three at home, three on the road. In
year three, the Bulldogs would play the
two from each Pod played in Year One, but
transpose which were at home and on the
road. The same for Year Four, but transpose
which were at home in Year Two.
So hypothetical, the Bulldogs play
Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky
every year.
In 2025, Georgia would play Alabama
at home, Auburn on the road, Ole Miss
at home, Mississippi State on the road,
Oklahoma at home, Texas on the road.
Flip the home and home with the same
teams for 2027. In 2026, Georgia would
play Tennessee at home, Vandy on the
road, LSU at home, Texas A&M on the road,
Arkansas at home, Missouri on the road.
Flip the home and home with the same
teams in 2028.
That way, every school plays everyone
else twice over a four year period, and
each stadium is visited once. Plus the three
common opponents.
One SEC broadcasting friend suggested
a one-seven-seven model. Keep the
conference games at eight. For example,
Georgia plays Florida every year, plus
seven others. The next year, Georgia plays
Florida plus the other seven. So on and so
forth for the next two years, flipping who’s
at home and who’s on the road.
Satisfying traditional rivalries while
increasing frequency of opponents is the
trick. I think playing five annual opponents
would be great. Match that with five other
groups of two. Play two of those groups of
two every year, and over a five year period,
everyone is played twice. Plus your five
common opponents.
As a classic traditionalist and lifelong
Bulldog fan, yes it will be neat to play
Oklahoma and Texas, but I don’t need that
- or Arkansas - every other year. Just my
opinion. Twice in five years, and four in 10
would satisfy such in this model. Longshot.
At best.
Since Texas A&M came into the league in
2012, the Bulldogs and Aggies have played
once - a 19-13 Georgia victory Between
the Hedges. Georgia has not been to
College Station. Should they play more?
Yes. Do I need it every other year? No.
It’s a delicate balance.
Let’s go back to Ole Miss. It has been 11
years since the Rebels came to Athens.
Georgia last went to Oxford in 2016. These
two used to be common opponents. The
Bulldogs and Rebels played every year
from 1966 through 2002. They’ve played
five times since.
Georgia and Ole Miss should play more
frequently. Again, does it have to be every
year? No. Though I’d selfishly vote for
yes - these two fanbases know how to
tailgate. But they should play much more
frequently that has been the case.
That equation of preserving the
commonality of rivalries while increasing
obvious inadequacies of meetings is tricky.
As is the politics. Alabama - Tennessee is a
great rivalry, the Third Saturday in October
is a sacred SEC date. Make no mistake
though, the Volunteers, who have beaten
the Crimson Tide once since Nick Saban
took the job on the capstone in 2007,
would shed no tears if Alabama fell off the
annual schedule.
In the Atlantic Coast Conference, which
will be adding Cal, Stanford and SMU,
their model was just announced. Several
rivalries - particularly along Tobacco Road
- were protected. Louisville didn’t care
to protect any, since they don’t have any
natural rivals in the conference. Prompting
wonderment to why the Cardinals are in
the ACC? The North Avenue Trade School
did the same. No tears being shed on The
Flats now that Clemson will come off the
schedule.
I like my 5-2-2 model. Again, it’s mine. I
thought of it walking through five points
on Halloween morning. Play five every
year. Of the other five two team Pods, over
a five season period, if you’re in Pod A, play
B & C, then D & E, then F & B, then C & D,
then E & F. That’s four games against the
other 10 teams in a 10 year period. Just an
idea. I know there are a lot floating around,
which is good. Conjecture for decisions
like these is very important. A lot of very
passionate people are anxious and excited
to see how all of this will affect their school
first of all, and the SEC overall second. A
perfect solution is likely impossible but
there seem to be some very good ones.
One last idea from the cheap seats, let’s
try it for one four or five year go-around
and see how it goes? Maybe not do a long
term deal.
Whatever is decided, packed stadiums,
and millions and millions upon viewers
and listeners await the next chapter of the
toughest league in the land.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 10 ISSUE TWELVE • OLE MISS