🏈 Pat Dye: Auburn needs to move to SEC East

[18Champs]

The long-gestating question bubbling under the surface on the Plains resurfaced again Monday on the radio.

Legendary coach Pat Dye wants to see Auburn in the SEC Eastern Division.

“We touch Florida, Georgia and Tennessee,” Dye said on the Paul Finebaum Show. “We need to be in the East and Missouri needs to be in the West. If we played nine games, we could do that because we could still play Alabama every year and then we would have our rivalry with Tennessee, Florida and Georgia like we’ve always had.”

Dye is not the only person with Auburn connections to express interest in a switch in divisions. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said he would support such a move at the SEC spring meetings in 2016, but that never gained much traction. Auburn president Dr. Jay Gogue told the SEC it is “willing to move to the East” in 2014, according to the Auburn Villager.

“Think about the inconvenience of the Missouri fans having to travel to the East to watch teams when they go on the road,” Dye said. “… It’s a tremendous disadvantage for Missouri being in the East.”

The idea is Auburn would maintain the Iron Bowl rivalry with Alabama, but the only way to make all parties happy is to enact a nine-game SEC schedule and that does not appear to be happening any time soon.

Until then, the talk will continue to be just that.

Pat Dye: Auburn needs to move to SEC East

 

[UAgrad93]

For once, I agree with the drunk old coot! Barn IS in Ga and the SEC should go to a 9 game conference schedule. BAMA would play Arky, LsWho, A&M, Ole Pi$$, Fail State, Mizzou keep Barn and Viles annually and rotate Florida, UGA, Vandy, UK, and USCe.

 

[TerryP]

For once, I agree with the drunk old coot! Barn IS in Ga and the SEC should go to a 9 game conference schedule. BAMA would play Arky, LsWho, A&M, Ole Pi$$, Fail State, Mizzou keep Barn and Viles annually and rotate Florida, UGA, Vandy, UK, and USCe.

It's good for Auburn's pocketbook. How much does that have to do with Dye speaking up while veiling it under nine game schedule talk? Auburn would add Florida to the schedule.

 

[Max]

Here are the pros and cons of what Auburn moving to the SEC East would mean

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Agree also.....dont see why things that make sense aren't done .....
If it stayed at 8 game conference schedule.....Bama n au would be permanent rivals...
And Bama n UT could play a non conference game if they wanted to maintain game...and yes conference teams have played before and it not be considered a conference game....
Or Bama n UT just quit being an annual game....
The world would continue spinning..as it did when Tx n Tx AnM quit, ok n Nebraska...Pitt n PSU..UF n Miami.etc

 

[bama alum]

Agree also.....dont see why things that make sense aren't done .....
If it stayed at 8 game conference schedule.....Bama n au would be permanent rivals...
And Bama n UT could play a non conference game if they wanted to maintain game...and yes conference teams have played before and it not be considered a conference game....
Or Bama n UT just quit being an annual game....
The world would continue spinning..as it did when Tx n Tx AnM quit, ok n Nebraska...Pitt n PSU..UF n Miami.etc

I'm pretty certain that thought has crossed Butch Jones' mind a few times.

 

[jdpas29]

wouldn't bother me any

 

[mando]

Would not go far enough. Move the barn out of the SEC so they have to stand on their own. Would be fun to watch them flounder w/o BAMA attached to their name.

 

[mhardiman]

I think auburn should go to the east; as long as Tennessee remains our permanent rival and Auburn plays Mizzou or Arkansas annually.

 

[TerryP]

What sense does it make for Alabama agree to lose the Tennessee game? I can think of a lot of reasons why they won't. Let's start with the loss of revenue for all involved.

Tennessee would gain Auburn every other year, but lose Bama in the process. What fiscal sense does that make?

 

[TUSKtimes]

I would be more than happy to help them pack. SEC should have gone to the 9 game format some time ago. Not sure why only the ACC and SEC are stubbornly hanging with the 8 conference games?

Just from a personal standpoint, the barners have alway had more to gain than lose against us. If they really want to go I hope Bama doesn't stand in their way.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Missouri's tremendous disadvantage, according to Dye, has allowed them to be in SECCG a few times.

Let's say it happens. If we go to a 9-game conference schedule and still play aubrun in regular season, we could be playing our SECCG opponent two consecutive weeks. There would probably need to be a requirment that out of division teams can't play each other the week before the SECCG. Would we play our cards close to our vest to beat the same team the following Saturday? Mizzou and Arkansas currently play each other the last game, that's it for interdivisional.

RTR,

Tim

 

[rolltide66]

Missouri's tremendous disadvantage, according to Dye, has allowed them to be in SECCG a few times.

Let's say it happens. If we go to a 9-game conference schedule and still play aubrun in regular season, we could be playing our SECCG opponent two consecutive weeks. There would probably need to be a requirment that out of division teams can't play each other the week before the SECCG. Would we play our cards close to our vest to beat the same team the following Saturday? Mizzou and Arkansas currently play each other the last game, that's it for interdivisional.
RTR, Tim

This seems to be assuming that Aubrun will actually beat Uga, Flo Rida, USCe and 10rc in the same year... lately they have had a real difficult time beating Uga without a prayer.

 

[BAMAneck]

Hell , I think if they won't it easier ( and they do ) just go ahead and join the coastal . Almost guaranteed a divisional championship , with only one good team and their just rising team ....that being Miami.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

This seems to be assuming that Aubrun will actually beat Uga, Flo Rida, USCe and 10rc in the same year... lately they have had a real difficult time beating Uga without a prayer.

Not necessarily. It just assumes that, over time, aubrun would have a fair chance at being the rep from the east, and us from the west. And they wouldn't necessarily have to run the table to win the division. there hasn't been an undefeated east team in the SECCG since 2009. A couple had two or three conference losses.

 

[bamachine]

If they go, I say let them them drop off as a permanent rival(unless we go to 9 games with two perm, one rotating cross divisional). UT is our real rival, just as UGA should be considered theirs.

 

[TerryP]

This seems to be assuming that Aubrun will actually beat Uga, Flo Rida, USCe and 10rc in the same year... lately they have had a real difficult time beating Uga without a prayer.

If Auburn would have beaten UGA this past season, and this proposal would have been in place, we'd be looking at a Bama vs Auburn SECCG last season. It's that close today. Like @It Takes Eleven I don't want to see a Bama vs Auburn game and then a week later see the same in ATL. One week of the Aubie's is too much already when it comes to football.

I know I'm repeating myself here but...

I don't see this as a move for a competitive advantage in terms of the SECC. Not in the least. It's a money move. It's no secret Auburn hasn't been flush when it comes to funds out of their athletic programs. Consider what the financial impact would be by adding Florida to their annual schedule. While do that, consider what it would mean to the other SEC West schools. In essence, Auburn would be getting four marquee SEC teams per year where everyone else is still scheduling three.

 

[TUSKtimes]

If Auburn would have beaten UGA this past season, and this proposal would have been in place, we'd be looking at a Bama vs Auburn SECCG last season. It's that close today. Like @It Takes Eleven I don't want to see a Bama vs Auburn game and then a week later see the same in ATL. One week of the Aubie's is too much already when it comes to football.

I know I'm repeating myself here but...

I don't see this as a move for a competitive advantage in terms of the SECC. Not in the least. It's a money move. It's no secret Auburn hasn't been flush when it comes to funds out of their athletic programs. Consider what the financial impact would be by adding Florida to their annual schedule. While do that, consider what it would mean to the other SEC West schools. In essence, Auburn would be getting four marquee SEC teams per year where everyone else is still scheduling three.

When the barners go it will quickly change the dynamics of future permanent opponents. It's a brave new world in the playoff era and still too many people are clinging to ancient tradition, when even the fans are saying enough, let's just get to the big dance.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Boogers have been begging to get out of the west for years. Don't buy the BS about making sense geographics wise or any other spin they want to use as it is only a convienent excuse. They want out of the west because they are bunch of pansies. They hate playing Bama, LSU, TA&M, ARK, OLE miss, MSstate along with Georgia every year. Them and LSU complain about there schedule every year. Auburn knows they could rule the east a lot easier and LSU just cries about having to play Florida every year.

Auburn needs the Alabama game just to relevant in the football world right now. LSU would have won a few more championships if Bama hadn't been in their way over the last decade. The west isn't for the weak of heart but if you are a competitor that is where you should want to be.

 

[alabama mike]

Agree, auburn should be in the east.