(11-28-2018 03:40 PM)OdinFrigg Wrote: (11-28-2018 02:24 PM)Gamecock Wrote: (11-27-2018 09:24 PM)JRsec Wrote: Besides ATU, if the SEC moves to 9 conference games it's going to have to be dropped anyway.
I know South Carolina has no intention of dropping Clemson and Clemson likes playing 2 SEC schools/year so that series is safe.
I could see UGA/GT ending things at some point but not sure Kirby has the cache to do that (yet). Also GT will be hiring a new coach and who know what his thoughts will be.
The State of Georgia also has a Legislature that does appropriations to state universities, including powerful alumni of both schools. Kirby Smart ain't changing that.
Officials and fans of Alabama, Auburn, Miss. State, Ole Miss., Arkansas, Missouri, and LSU can easily exclaim they want nine conference games. They don't have other P5 schools in their respective states that don't exist or are already.in the SEC. The other seven do or can resume doing so (T a&m).
Look guys we are on the slow track to 12 P games. A step to 9 conference games will mean a step to 10 P games. If Texas joins the SEC at some point then A&M is a non issue. If Kansas ever joins then Missouri is a non issue. Should Florida State and Clemson ever join then those are dead issues as well.
The problem with Georgia Tech is simply compatibility. And I agree with both Kirby and with AllTideUp, there is no reason to continue that game from a competitive, profile, or recruiting stand point.
If the next round of realignment lands us two prizes from the Big 12 the pressure on Clemson and Florida State will become immense. Squeezing the scheduling is just a form of ratcheting up the pressure to secure the SEC as the sole football conference in our region, and in doing so securing the SEC's top spot nationally for the sport. And as the Southeast grows politically it would be advantageous to have these state schools under one banner. The business ties between the states, research endeavors growing out the expansion of business in the Southeast, and the synergy of those ties will be increasingly important to establish and maintain.
For those reasons and those we stated in establishing a qualitative difference between flagships and the rest, I look for an eventual intentional move for Texas, Florida State, and North Carolina. Oklahoma could be a bonus but isn't essential. We probably would be amenable to Clemson and/ or Virginia/VaTech.
I could easily see the SEC topping out at 20 and I think that is the sweet spot for attaining a cohesive grip over the Southeastern United States.
Obviously North Carolina is the alpha dog of the ACC, but they would establish their dominance over their region much more completely with a move to the SEC. Like Texas their sports have gotten weaker due to having 3 other North Carolina peers.
The case for Virginia is much less obvious and in a lot of ways Va Tech would be the better fit, but for the political connections and business/academic ties UVa would still likely be the primary target.
Higher Ed is going to be consolidating. Eventually some very well established schools are going to see the need to separate themselves from some of their old peers. If sports is going to continue to be a solid revenue stream, a great advertisement for the school, and the region is going to experience solid growth, then I expect the organizing principles of conferences to change. Indeed, I believe our realignment picks are indicative of that already.