So with at least 30 voters now, the leaders have begun to separate themselves further from the rest of the pack and from each other. And there seems to be a cluster of 2nd-tier matchups distinguishing itself from the rest as well.

Texas/Texas A&M (30)
Alabama/Tennessee (26)
Auburn/Georgia (22)
Tennessee/Vanderbilt (20)

LSU/Texas A&M (12)
LSU/Ole Miss (11)
Kentucky/Tennessee (10)

(11-19-2023 08:44 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  So with at least 30 voters now, the leaders have begun to separate themselves further from the rest of the pack and from each other. And there seems to be a cluster of 2nd-tier matchups distinguishing itself from the rest as well.

Texas/Texas A&M (30)
Alabama/Tennessee (26)
Auburn/Georgia (22)
Tennessee/Vanderbilt (20)

LSU/Texas A&M (12)
LSU/Ole Miss (11)
Kentucky/Tennessee (10)

Yeah, Vols/Vanderbilt seems likely to happen, even if I couldn't bring myself to vote for it. Vols/Florida should be annual, but I don't think the Vols will ask for it.

I don't think Vols/Kentucky is happening as an annual games ... the Vols are going to say that they are already playing Vols/Vanderbilt.

(11-19-2023 08:40 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 04:34 PM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  Just play a 15 game SEC schedule. Problem solved.

Mostly kidding. Assuming the OOC in-state games have to be played, and at least one warm-up, that really leaves only 10 games. So I'll propose a 5-5-5 model. 5 permanents, rotate the other 5 every other year.

For TN: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Vandy, KY.

I took a stab at this:

I don't think that UGA would want to play Texas every year, and I doubt Texas would want that either, although I'm sure Bullet would disagree. UGA-TN is more likely, while I'm sure that Florida or 'Bama would go for Texas. Remember Nerdlinger, Gators looooovvvve to recruit!!! Texas= prime recruiting territory.

Edit: just thought about a rivalry trophy for this series: Emmitt Smith's jersey!!! Emmitt was a Gator who played for the Dallas Cowboys, so you could work a Florida-Texas rivalry angle that way!! I'm sure that Emmitt would love this too!!

(11-19-2023 07:45 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(11-19-2023 08:40 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 04:34 PM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  Just play a 15 game SEC schedule. Problem solved.

Mostly kidding. Assuming the OOC in-state games have to be played, and at least one warm-up, that really leaves only 10 games. So I'll propose a 5-5-5 model. 5 permanents, rotate the other 5 every other year.

For TN: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Vandy, KY.

I took a stab at this:

I don't think that UGA would want to play Texas every year, and I doubt Texas would want that either, although I'm sure Bullet would disagree. UGA-TN is more likely, while I'm sure that Florida or 'Bama would go for Texas. Remember Nerdlinger, Gators looooovvvve to recruit!!! Texas= prime recruiting territory.

Edit: just thought about a rivalry trophy for this series: Emmitt Smith's jersey!!! Emmitt was a Gator who played for the Dallas Cowboys, so you could work a Florida-Texas rivalry angle that way!! I'm sure that Emmitt would love this too!!

One thing I was trying to do, and which is why the teams are split into two groups in the chart, was to approach competitive balance. The (relatively) strong FB programs all have 3 strong and 2 (relatively) weak protected opponents, while the reverse is true for the weak programs. I'm using the strong/weak "divisions" that the SEC has used for the 2024 schedule (each team plays 4 strong and 4 weak opponents), though arguments could certainly be made in favor of swapping teams between the two groups.

In any case, despite their very recent success, the SEC considers Tennessee a weak team, while Florida, Georgia, and Texas are considered strong. So for Florida to pick up Texas from Georgia, Georgia would need another strong protected opponent, which means no Tennessee. The simplest move would be to give LSU Georgia instead of Florida.

Just to be clear, here's what I'm referring to with the 2024 schedule and strong vs. weak.



The strong/weak division is further reinforced by each team having 2 home and 2 away games against both groups.

(11-20-2023 02:46 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-19-2023 07:45 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(11-19-2023 08:40 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 04:34 PM)Soobahk40050 Wrote:  Just play a 15 game SEC schedule. Problem solved.

Mostly kidding. Assuming the OOC in-state games have to be played, and at least one warm-up, that really leaves only 10 games. So I'll propose a 5-5-5 model. 5 permanents, rotate the other 5 every other year.

For TN: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Vandy, KY.

I took a stab at this:

I don't think that UGA would want to play Texas every year, and I doubt Texas would want that either, although I'm sure Bullet would disagree. UGA-TN is more likely, while I'm sure that Florida or 'Bama would go for Texas. Remember Nerdlinger, Gators looooovvvve to recruit!!! Texas= prime recruiting territory.

Edit: just thought about a rivalry trophy for this series: Emmitt Smith's jersey!!! Emmitt was a Gator who played for the Dallas Cowboys, so you could work a Florida-Texas rivalry angle that way!! I'm sure that Emmitt would love this too!!

One thing I was trying to do, and which is why the teams are split into two groups in the chart, was to approach competitive balance. The (relatively) strong FB programs all have 3 strong and 2 (relatively) weak protected opponents, while the reverse is true for the weak programs. I'm using the strong/weak "divisions" that the SEC has used for the 2024 schedule (each team plays 4 strong and 4 weak opponents), though arguments could certainly be made in favor of swapping teams between the two groups.

In any case, despite their very recent success, the SEC considers Tennessee a weak team, while Florida, Georgia, and Texas are considered strong. So for Florida to pick up Texas from Georgia, Georgia would need another strong protected opponent, which means no Tennessee. The simplest move would be to give LSU Georgia instead of Florida.

Texas is 71-52 over the past decade, including their 10-1 this season. Tennessee is 70-50 over that same time span, while playing in a tougher Conference than Texas was in. How in the world does Texas' lower winning % translate into the SEC considering them to be a "strong" team? Florida is at 76-49 over that same span, though their last 3 years have been terrible. So:

(edited to add in all of the top 8 from your chart, plus Tennessee)

Alabama 125-13, .906 National Champs 5 x
Georgia 112-21, .843 National Champs 2 x
OU 101-28 .783%
LSU 88-38, .698% National Champs 1 x
A&M: 77-46, .626%
Florida: 76-49, .608 %
Auburn: 73-51, .589%
Ole Miss: 71-50, .587%
Tennessee: 70-50, .583%
Texas: 71-52, .577%

There are a few at the top that really stand out with a decade's worth of excellence, then A&M, Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas are all pretty closely packed. But those 5 current SEC schools are all ahead of Texas in winning % over a decade. I'm not trying to beat anybody up here, I've been very clear that I'm happy that Texas is joining SEC, but I'm not sure that they belong on the list of "strong" or "top half" teams if we're using recent winning % as the barometer. Maybe if we go out 20 years and include a bunch of Mac Brown's top years they'd jump ahead of a couple schools, those years from 11-20 yrs ago were pretty tough for Tennessee and Ole Miss.

(11-20-2023 04:50 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Texas is 71-52 over the past decade, including their 10-1 this season. Tennessee is 70-50 over that same time span, while playing in a tougher Conference than Texas was in. How in the world does Texas' lower winning % translate into the SEC considering them to be a "strong" team? Florida is at 76-49 over that same span, though their last 3 years have been terrible. So:

(edited to add in all of the top 8 from your chart, plus Tennessee)

Alabama 125-13, .906 National Champs 5 x
Georgia 112-21, .843 National Champs 2 x
OU 101-28 .783%
LSU 88-38, .698% National Champs 1 x
A&M: 77-46, .626%
Florida: 76-49, .608 %
Auburn: 73-51, .589%
Ole Miss: 71-50, .587%
Tennessee: 70-50, .583%
Texas: 71-52, .577%

There are a few at the top that really stand out with a decade's worth of excellence, then A&M, Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas are all pretty closely packed. But those 5 current SEC schools are all ahead of Texas in winning % over a decade. I'm not trying to beat anybody up here, I've been very clear that I'm happy that Texas is joining SEC, but I'm not sure that they belong on the list of "strong" or "top half" teams if we're using recent winning % as the barometer. Maybe if we go out 20 years and include a bunch of Mac Brown's top years they'd jump ahead of a couple schools, those years from 11-20 yrs ago were pretty tough for Tennessee and Ole Miss.

Perhaps they're also considering financial resources. I dunno.

(11-20-2023 05:10 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 04:50 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Texas is 71-52 over the past decade, including their 10-1 this season. Tennessee is 70-50 over that same time span, while playing in a tougher Conference than Texas was in. How in the world does Texas' lower winning % translate into the SEC considering them to be a "strong" team? Florida is at 76-49 over that same span, though their last 3 years have been terrible. So:

(edited to add in all of the top 8 from your chart, plus Tennessee)

Alabama 125-13, .906 National Champs 5 x
Georgia 112-21, .843 National Champs 2 x
OU 101-28 .783%
LSU 88-38, .698% National Champs 1 x
A&M: 77-46, .626%
Florida: 76-49, .608 %
Auburn: 73-51, .589%
Ole Miss: 71-50, .587%
Tennessee: 70-50, .583%
Texas: 71-52, .577%

There are a few at the top that really stand out with a decade's worth of excellence, then A&M, Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas are all pretty closely packed. But those 5 current SEC schools are all ahead of Texas in winning % over a decade. I'm not trying to beat anybody up here, I've been very clear that I'm happy that Texas is joining SEC, but I'm not sure that they belong on the list of "strong" or "top half" teams if we're using recent winning % as the barometer. Maybe if we go out 20 years and include a bunch of Mac Brown's top years they'd jump ahead of a couple schools, those years from 11-20 yrs ago were pretty tough for Tennessee and Ole Miss.

Perhaps they're also considering financial resources. I dunno.

I doubt it. I think they just went out 20 years instead of 10. It's possible though.

https://www.secsports.com/article/378546...-locations

"The 2024 SEC opponents were determined based on two primary factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength.

Balance of schedule strength was based on each school's conference winning percentage since the last expansion of the SEC in 2012. The winning percentages for the performance of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 were included in determining 16 positions ranked by winning percentage.

Each school's schedule in 2024 will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentage ranked among the top eight conference winning percentages since 2012. Also, each school's 2024 schedule will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentages ranked among the second eight conference winning percentages since 2012."

They didn't specify who the "top eight" and "second eight" were but if you look at Alabama's schedule...

Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina

You'd have to believe Auburn is a top 8 and Tennessee is a bottom 8.

The annual Georgia vs. Alabama game will be preserved as long as there is an SEC Championship Game.

Like Ohio State and non-probation/non-Rich Rod Michigan, these two programs dwarf the rest of their conference. The third best SEC program is rudderless LSU (note: Brian Kelly is not the coach that Coach O or Les Miles was in that nobody will ever play hard for this murderous fake Cajun accent clown) or rudderless Texas (note: Texas will always be soft as long as Sarkaszi... it doesn't matter how to spell his last name because the dude comes across as very soft.) Beyond that, regardless of what regional rivalries the SEC wants to preserve (I'm sure none of those will involve Alabama for protection's sake... goodbye Bama/LSU and hello nationally irrelevant "rivalry" with Tennessee and legit fun, nationally relevant Auburn rivalry regardless of what record Auburn has... although they are about to be like the tenth best program in the SEC now) the pollsters will always prop up Tennessee, Florida, and Oklahoma at the beginning of the year for no reason whatsoever. I think those same pollsters are done treating Texas A&M well though. Going forward, perhaps Ole Miss and Missouri can get the annual "start them off at #18" boost that Texas A&M would always get despite not even having a football pedigree worth mentioning.

(11-20-2023 06:49 PM)schmolik Wrote:  https://www.secsports.com/article/378546...-locations

"The 2024 SEC opponents were determined based on two primary factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength.

Balance of schedule strength was based on each school's conference winning percentage since the last expansion of the SEC in 2012. The winning percentages for the performance of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 were included in determining 16 positions ranked by winning percentage.

Each school's schedule in 2024 will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentage ranked among the top eight conference winning percentages since 2012. Also, each school's 2024 schedule will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentages ranked among the second eight conference winning percentages since 2012."

They didn't specify who the "top eight" and "second eight" were but if you look at Alabama's schedule...

Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina

You'd have to believe Auburn is a top 8 and Tennessee is a bottom 8.

Thanks for the info. Here are the 16 schools' conference records for 2012-22:

(11-20-2023 08:57 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 06:49 PM)schmolik Wrote:  https://www.secsports.com/article/378546...-locations

"The 2024 SEC opponents were determined based on two primary factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength.

Balance of schedule strength was based on each school's conference winning percentage since the last expansion of the SEC in 2012. The winning percentages for the performance of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 were included in determining 16 positions ranked by winning percentage.

Each school's schedule in 2024 will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentage ranked among the top eight conference winning percentages since 2012. Also, each school's 2024 schedule will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentages ranked among the second eight conference winning percentages since 2012."

They didn't specify who the "top eight" and "second eight" were but if you look at Alabama's schedule...

Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina

You'd have to believe Auburn is a top 8 and Tennessee is a bottom 8.

Thanks for the info. Here are the 16 schools' conference records for 2012-22:

SEC East 294-334 in conference. 46.8%. That would be roughly 64-104 vs. the SEC West (11 years X 7 teams X 6 games in conference-with one cancelled in 2020).

(11-20-2023 08:57 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 06:49 PM)schmolik Wrote:  https://www.secsports.com/article/378546...-locations

"The 2024 SEC opponents were determined based on two primary factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength.

Balance of schedule strength was based on each school's conference winning percentage since the last expansion of the SEC in 2012. The winning percentages for the performance of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 were included in determining 16 positions ranked by winning percentage.

Each school's schedule in 2024 will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentage ranked among the top eight conference winning percentages since 2012. Also, each school's 2024 schedule will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentages ranked among the second eight conference winning percentages since 2012."

They didn't specify who the "top eight" and "second eight" were but if you look at Alabama's schedule...

Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina

You'd have to believe Auburn is a top 8 and Tennessee is a bottom 8.

Thanks for the info. Here are the 16 schools' conference records for 2012-22:

Wow. I didn't realize how bad Tennessee has been the last decade, and that's including last year.

I'm sure this isn't perfect but I can say a school's expectations is roughly proportional to their stadium's capacity. You don't upgrade your stadium to a capacity of 100,000 or even 90,000 if you don't think you can sell that many seats on a semi regular basis. Based on that, Tennessee by far has been the biggest SEC underachiever since Texas A&M and Missouri joined. Vanderbilt's the worst but based on stadium capacity they should be.

Maybe in terms of popularity there's plenty of "big" programs but based on conference performance taking out OU and UT(exas), Alabama and Georgia are way ahead of everyone else. You think the SEC is more balanced than the Big Ten but aren't Alabama and Georgia you're Ohio State and Michigan? And of course Alabama and Georgia had rarely played in the regular season since Missouri and A&M joined (2015 and 2020). At least without divisions they will play more often and are scheduled to play in 2024.

(11-20-2023 07:04 PM)Sparty Baby 84 Wrote:  The annual Georgia vs. Alabama game will be preserved as long as there is an SEC Championship Game.

Like Ohio State and non-probation/non-Rich Rod Michigan, these two programs dwarf the rest of their conference. The third best SEC program is rudderless LSU (note: Brian Kelly is not the coach that Coach O or Les Miles was in that nobody will ever play hard for this murderous fake Cajun accent clown) or rudderless Texas (note: Texas will always be soft as long as Sarkaszi... it doesn't matter how to spell his last name because the dude comes across as very soft.) Beyond that, regardless of what regional rivalries the SEC wants to preserve (I'm sure none of those will involve Alabama for protection's sake... goodbye Bama/LSU and hello nationally irrelevant "rivalry" with Tennessee and legit fun, nationally relevant Auburn rivalry regardless of what record Auburn has... although they are about to be like the tenth best program in the SEC now) the pollsters will always prop up Tennessee, Florida, and Oklahoma at the beginning of the year for no reason whatsoever. I think those same pollsters are done treating Texas A&M well though. Going forward, perhaps Ole Miss and Missouri can get the annual "start them off at #18" boost that Texas A&M would always get despite not even having a football pedigree worth mentioning.

You clearly know nothing about the SEC. We've had 6 different schools win National Titles in the past 25 years, not counting the 1 each from OU and Texas.

Georgia 21, 22 -2 titles
Alabama 09, 11, 12, 15, 17,20 - 6 titles
Florida 06, 08 - 2 titles
LSU 03 (.5), 07, 19 -2.5 titles
Tennessee 98, - 1 title
Auburn - 11, - 1 title
Texas 04, - 1 title
OU - 00, 1 title

There are several others in the SEC that are pushing, hard to climb into that top tier, too. In just this past year, we had the #2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 schools in all of college sports ranked by athletic revenues. What in that information makes you think that the SEC will turn into a long term version of the B1G duopoly? A duopoloy which, by the way, has produced 2.5 titles in FIFTY years.

You should look to your own house. You guys hire another sexual predator coach yet?

(11-21-2023 05:11 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 08:57 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 06:49 PM)schmolik Wrote:  https://www.secsports.com/article/378546...-locations

"The 2024 SEC opponents were determined based on two primary factors: traditional opponents and balance of schedule strength.

Balance of schedule strength was based on each school's conference winning percentage since the last expansion of the SEC in 2012. The winning percentages for the performance of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 were included in determining 16 positions ranked by winning percentage.

Each school's schedule in 2024 will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentage ranked among the top eight conference winning percentages since 2012. Also, each school's 2024 schedule will include four opponents - two home and two away -- whose winning percentages ranked among the second eight conference winning percentages since 2012."

They didn't specify who the "top eight" and "second eight" were but if you look at Alabama's schedule...

Away: LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Home: Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina

You'd have to believe Auburn is a top 8 and Tennessee is a bottom 8.

Thanks for the info. Here are the 16 schools' conference records for 2012-22:

Wow. I didn't realize how bad Tennessee has been the last decade, and that's including last year.

I'm sure this isn't perfect but I can say a school's expectations is roughly proportional to their stadium's capacity. You don't upgrade your stadium to a capacity of 100,000 or even 90,000 if you don't think you can sell that many seats on a semi regular basis. Based on that, Tennessee by far has been the biggest SEC underachiever since Texas A&M and Missouri joined. Vanderbilt's the worst but based on stadium capacity they should be.

Maybe in terms of popularity there's plenty of "big" programs but based on conference performance taking out OU and UT(exas), Alabama and Georgia are way ahead of everyone else. You think the SEC is more balanced than the Big Ten but aren't Alabama and Georgia you're Ohio State and Michigan? And of course Alabama and Georgia had rarely played in the regular season since Missouri and A&M joined (2015 and 2020). At least without divisions they will play more often and are scheduled to play in 2024.

16.5 titles among 8 teams (or 14.5 among 6 teams not counting OUT) in the past 25 years. Alabama is the only one that has distanced themselves from that group, though UGA has a chance to move into 2nd over that period with a Title this year if they can win another one.

(11-20-2023 08:57 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

In case anyone was curious, here are the combined conference records, now including 2023:



Even though Auburn and Missouri are now tied for 8th place, I'm giving the nod to Auburn because they've beaten Missouri in the only two (regular season) conference games the teams have played in that time span.