issue a "Little Brothers Challenge" and try to get the entire conference playing one of the SEC teams during the first three weeks of every season, preferably against state rivals when possible.

With all the talk about the B1G and maybe other Power 5 conferences no longer playing FCS teams, this is the time to present your conference as a whole to other conferences as an opportunity for them to schedule early season "easy" games over the next several years. Of course, how "easy" these SBC games would be is up to you and how good you play.

Since the SEC is at 14, the SBC should go to 14. If the SEC goes to 16, then the SBC should do the some. I do not mean immediately, but when you can. If you can lock down a multi-year contract with the SEC then WKU, and certainly ASU and UL, would stay in the belt. Hell, if MT gets to play UT every year they may come back. If the SEC invites a school in Virginia then the SBC would have no problem getting a school in that state. If it meant an annual game against Ole Miss or MSU then Southern Miss would leave the CUSA in a heartbeat.

If the SBC could get more money, then great, but the main goal should be to get the games played in order to get the media exposure, likely on the SECN.

Then challenge CUSA (to beat them and climb over them) and the ACC, and also the AAC if the SBC has 8 conference games.

Score some more upsets and the entire nation will be talking.

That is your blueprint.

I'd prefer a challenge to CUSA, but that's just me. Those games are far more winnable across the board, and could reignite some rivalries.

Only problem is, that is 4-5 years down the road as most OOC games for CUSA and Sun Belt teams are already booked.

(04-21-2013 01:51 PM)Lurker Above Wrote:  issue a "Little Brothers Challenge" and try to get the entire conference playing one of the SEC teams during the first three weeks of every season, preferably against state rivals when possible.

I believe that happens most years, but the swine will never take a chance in playing us.

(04-21-2013 01:58 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 01:51 PM)Lurker Above Wrote:  issue a "Little Brothers Challenge" and try to get the entire conference playing one of the SEC teams during the first three weeks of every season, preferably against state rivals when possible.

I believe that happens most years, but the swine will never take a chance in playing us.

This might be how you get to play them.

Completely unrealistic.

Let's also suggest that NFL teams should come down and play Alabama every year.

(04-21-2013 01:56 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  I'd prefer a challenge to CUSA, but that's just me. Those games are far more winnable across the board, and could reignite some rivalries.

Only problem is, that is 4-5 years down the road as most OOC games for CUSA and Sun Belt teams are already booked.

Why not challenge both? Why not 3 or 4 conferences?

The SEC teams would get you the best exposure.

The SBC has almost the same footprint as the SEC. Offering the conference up as SEC-Lite is not a bad thing at all. Gaining exposure against SEC opponents in such a way that suggests the Sun Belt is only a step below the top conference in the country is much better than trading blows with the MAC or CUSA in afterthought games. ULL and ULM playing LSU alternating years or on a 2 year rotation would make them look much more legit than say, LA Tech. Georgia Southern already has an every 4 year tradition of playing UGA. Add G-State on a 4 year rotation so that UGA plays either of the GSUs ever 2 years and you've got a very interesting series for the state. Texas State versus TAMU isn't any less interesting than Rice versus Houston. Troy/USA versus Bama or Auburn is much better than UAB versus anybody else. Arkansas and Ark State would draw some viewers. App could play Tennessee or South Carolina in a "close enough" game that would certainly draw people in. If you can create the idea that the Sun Belt is the 2nd tier of the SEC, that is a positive and not a negative.

Found this article interesting regarding the SEC and future opponents. This could even threaten the UGA/GT game. With SOC coming into play with the new playoff system and the possibility of another conference game added, it can easily reduce the amount games against Group Of Five schools.

http://blogs.ajc.com/junkyard-blawg/2013...-schedule/

Already last year, when the conference decided to stay at eight conference games, Commissioner Mike Slive noted that the SEC was “mindful that moving forward our strength of schedule will be a factor” as the new championship playoff takes effect. “This is something that we’re going to watch,” he added.

And, of course, Alabama’s Nick Saban is on record as favoring a nine-game schedule because of the cross-divisional scheduling problems. “Under the current system we have guys who will never play Georgia or Florida,” Saban said last summer. “That’s not right. If we have to play nine conference games to get that fixed then that is what we need to do.”

So the nine-game thing was already looming on the horizon. Now, the thinking goes, the arrival of the SEC Network will make the change inevitable because the so-called worldwide leader in sports will be calling the shots in the new television partnership, and they’d much rather be selling, say, Georgia vs. Texas A&M or even Tennessee vs. Mississippi State than a game against one of the directional-named cupcakes that would be displaced on SEC schools’ schedules by a ninth conference opponent.

(04-21-2013 02:31 PM)Higher Education Wrote:  The SBC has almost the same footprint as the SEC. Offering the conference up as SEC-Lite is not a bad thing at all. Gaining exposure against SEC opponents in such a way that suggests the Sun Belt is only a step below the top conference in the country is much better than trading blows with the MAC or CUSA in afterthought games. ULL and ULM playing LSU alternating years or on a 2 year rotation would make them look much more legit than say, LA Tech. Georgia Southern already has an every 4 year tradition of playing UGA. Add G-State on a 4 year rotation so that UGA plays either of the GSUs ever 2 years and you've got a very interesting series for the state. Texas State versus TAMU isn't any less interesting than Rice versus Houston. Troy/USA versus Bama or Auburn is much better than UAB versus anybody else. Arkansas and Ark State would draw some viewers. App could play Tennessee or South Carolina in a "close enough" game that would certainly draw people in. If you can create the idea that the Sun Belt is the 2nd tier of the SEC, that is a positive and not a negative.

Bingo.

(04-21-2013 02:32 PM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  Found this article interesting regarding the SEC and future opponents. This could even threaten the UGA/GT game. With SOC coming into play with the new playoff system and the possibility of another conference game added, it can easily reduce the amount games against Group Of Five schools.

http://blogs.ajc.com/junkyard-blawg/2013...-schedule/

Already last year, when the conference decided to stay at eight conference games, Commissioner Mike Slive noted that the SEC was “mindful that moving forward our strength of schedule will be a factor” as the new championship playoff takes effect. “This is something that we’re going to watch,” he added.

And, of course, Alabama’s Nick Saban is on record as favoring a nine-game schedule because of the cross-divisional scheduling problems. “Under the current system we have guys who will never play Georgia or Florida,” Saban said last summer. “That’s not right. If we have to play nine conference games to get that fixed then that is what we need to do.”

So the nine-game thing was already looming on the horizon. Now, the thinking goes, the arrival of the SEC Network will make the change inevitable because the so-called worldwide leader in sports will be calling the shots in the new television partnership, and they’d much rather be selling, say, Georgia vs. Texas A&M or even Tennessee vs. Mississippi State than a game against one of the directional-named cupcakes that would be displaced on SEC schools’ schedules by a ninth conference opponent.

Only problem is that is means one less home game every other year. Also, won't the argument be made that it makes the season unbalanced as some programs have 5 home conference games and some 4? Quite a disadvantage the year you have 4 at home.

I bet that may blow up the 9 game schedule talk.

(04-21-2013 02:32 PM)TheEagleWay Wrote:  Found this article interesting regarding the SEC and future opponents. This could even threaten the UGA/GT game. With SOC coming into play with the new playoff system and the possibility of another conference game added, it can easily reduce the amount games against Group Of Five schools.

http://blogs.ajc.com/junkyard-blawg/2013...-schedule/

Already last year, when the conference decided to stay at eight conference games, Commissioner Mike Slive noted that the SEC was “mindful that moving forward our strength of schedule will be a factor” as the new championship playoff takes effect. “This is something that we’re going to watch,” he added.

And, of course, Alabama’s Nick Saban is on record as favoring a nine-game schedule because of the cross-divisional scheduling problems. “Under the current system we have guys who will never play Georgia or Florida,” Saban said last summer. “That’s not right. If we have to play nine conference games to get that fixed then that is what we need to do.”

So the nine-game thing was already looming on the horizon. Now, the thinking goes, the arrival of the SEC Network will make the change inevitable because the so-called worldwide leader in sports will be calling the shots in the new television partnership, and they’d much rather be selling, say, Georgia vs. Texas A&M or even Tennessee vs. Mississippi State than a game against one of the directional-named cupcakes that would be displaced on SEC schools’ schedules by a ninth conference opponent.

This is all the more reason to do this now. Sell the SBC as having regional interest with fans who would travel, and that the SBC has a higher strength of schedule than some other G5 conferences.

The big guys are going to take a shot at playing with themselves.

Sounds pretty boring to me but we'll see how that goes.

(04-21-2013 02:31 PM)Higher Education Wrote:  Arkansas and Ark State would draw some viewers.

Every tv set in the state would be on.....even the non-sports people would watch. But it won't happen with their thinking the way it is.

What you are proposing is very similar to the SEC/SoCon weekend that has developed over the past few years. Now this would include much larger fan bases/programs.

LOL as if we already haven't been doing that. Then when MTSU and ULM upsets one of the big boys we pound our chests.

The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

(04-21-2013 02:44 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

Their efforts vs. Arkansas State have been going on since 1959. It is nothing new and will most likely never change one iota.

(04-21-2013 02:44 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  LOL as if we already haven't been doing that. Then when MTSU and ULM upsets one of the big boys we pound our chests.

The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

More games = more opportunities

(04-21-2013 02:44 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  LOL as if we already haven't been doing that. Then when MTSU and ULM upsets one of the big boys we pound our chests.

The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

This idea is more of an official SBC/SEC competition that pits in-state institutions against one another. Instead of Troy versus Missouri, you would get much more interest with Texas State versus Texas A&M. Plus it would help grow the Sun Belt team's following in-state because it helps elevate the SBC program to a more equal position with the more big time state schools.

(04-21-2013 02:57 PM)Higher Education Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 02:44 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  LOL as if we already haven't been doing that. Then when MTSU and ULM upsets one of the big boys we pound our chests.

The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

This idea is more of an official SBC/SEC competition that pits in-state institutions against one another. Instead of Troy versus Missouri, you would get much more interest with Texas State versus Texas A&M. Plus it would help grow the Sun Belt team's following in-state because it helps elevate the SBC program to a more equal position with the more big time state schools.

I doubt some of the SEC schools (Arky, Bama) would like the SEC forcing them to play against in state mid majors. While it seems like fun, the SEC schools would have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

(04-21-2013 02:57 PM)Higher Education Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 02:44 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  LOL as if we already haven't been doing that. Then when MTSU and ULM upsets one of the big boys we pound our chests.

The only thing that's missing is Arky vs. A-State, and I STRONGLY believe the Hogs are very scared of the Red Wolves right now.

This idea is more of an official SBC/SEC competition that pits in-state institutions against one another. Instead of Troy versus Missouri, you would get much more interest with Texas State versus Texas A&M. Plus it would help grow the Sun Belt team's following in-state because it helps elevate the SBC program to a more equal position with the more big time state schools.

That's nice, but the Razorbacks would run a bulldozer through the conference room if that ever even came up at the table.