🏈 Saban on SEC future scheduling: “They’re giving us Tennessee, Auburn and LSU. I don’t know how they come to that.”

[UAgrad93]

Is this official?

I think it still has to be voted on, but supposedly this is what has been put out there.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

The anti-Bama crowd constantly yells into the void about how the SEC office protects Alabama at every turn. Yet, the actions and actual evidence shows us that they don't, be it on or off the field. If the 3 permanents are Tennessee, LSU, and auburn, it will just be another example to add to the evergrowing list. It's all about using Alabama to provide the league/tv partner with what is always a top rated game with that LSU matchup. Alabama wants MSU for the 3rd opponent, which makes the most sense. My understanding is MSU was ok with it until later in the process. Saban is doing a, "Texas A&M NIL style" grenade drop by leaking the info, he's obviously not thrilled with it.

In the end, it doesn't bother me all that much other than I enjoy the Alabama/MSU series, which dates back to 1896. What irritates me more though, is it would just be yet another instance where the SEC strong arms Alabama into a situation that is against their wishes (and best interests in some cases), while bending over backwards to placate the rest of the conference.

 

[TerryP]

Is this official?

 

[bamafan9201]

Man Tennessee gets out of all the tough rival games but us lol

 

[Bammerboy321]

I wouldn't mind Oklahoma either. My wife has family there, so that would be a fun trip every couple years. They're cool folks, so can play a little golf and catch a football game at a new venue, would be sweet.

I think a nice rivalry that would be established would bring in tons of viewers annually, which would mean much more $$$. Both schools are very similar too. It'd be a fun game annually.

To me I like the Oats approach when he wants to play the best every single year. Saban definitely does too, I imagine. It's easy to be Ohio State or Georgia, who play two-three tough games at the most in the regular season. I'd like Alabama to play the best schedule every year and dominate. This of course is easier said than done, and OU just came off a pretty dismal performance.

But I don't mind the LSU game though. They're usually competitive and draw in tons of viewers as well. But they definitely hate us more than we care about them.

 

[Bammerboy321]

The anti-Bama crowd constantly yells into the void about how the SEC office protects Alabama at every turn. Yet, the actions and actual evidence shows us that they don't, be it on or off the field. If the 3 permanents are Tennessee, LSU, and auburn, it will just be another example to add to the evergrowing list. It's all about using Alabama to provide the league/tv partner with what is always a top rated game with that LSU matchup. Alabama wants MSU for the 3rd opponent, which makes the most sense. My understanding is MSU was ok with it until later in the process. Saban is doing a, "Texas A&M NIL style" grenade drop by leaking the info, he's obviously not thrilled with it.

In the end, it doesn't bother me all that much other than I enjoy the Alabama/MSU series, which dates back to 1896. What irritates me more though, is it would just be yet another instance where the SEC strong arms Alabama into a situation that is against their wishes (and best interests in some cases), while bending over backwards to placate the rest of the conference.

You'll never convince an auburn fan of any of this. Despite them whining about playing Georgia and Alabama almost back-to-back, and forcing the SEC to move the DSOR earlier in the year. auburn is still getting the shit kicked out of them regardless of when its played.

LSU fans also have this conspiracy that they were forced to play Florida every year to protect Alabama and the TSIO. Now no one bats an eye because Tennessee has a better trajectory as a program than both LSU and Florida now. Funny how it all works out.

 

[SnakeDoc]

You'll never convince an auburn fan of any of this. Despite them whining about playing Georgia and Alabama almost back-to-back, and forcing the SEC to move the DSOR earlier in the year. auburn is still getting the shit kicked out of them regardless of when its played.

LSU fans also have this conspiracy that they were forced to play Florida every year to protect Alabama and the TSIO. Now no one bats an eye because Tennessee has a better trajectory as a program than both LSU and Florida now. Funny how it all works out.

DSOR?

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

This means they're probably moving us and the Barn to the East

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

DSOR?

Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

 

[SnakeDoc]

Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

Ah. Thanks.

 

[24and7]

We should always play those three schools EVERY YEAR..We always have… Sometimes Saban is a head scratcher..

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

We should always play those three schools EVERY YEAR..We always have… Sometimes Saban is a head scratcher..

With him, it's about the unfair balance of the scheduling... with the expanded playoffs there's added cushion for all, but it would still be less margin of error for Bama than pretty much all the others if those are the 3 permanents. On the flip side, there is always the possibility that the Vols end up in the ditch again for an extended period... though with NIL I don't see that happening... certainly not to the extent that they had been in it.

I'd also add that this is eventually going to change, again, at some point. These conferences are not done expanding.

 

[252BAMA]

Maybe semantics but I think LSU will be a big deal no matter who our coach is.

They are all a big deal. Stallings nailed it in explaining why, "If you don't think so, then lose one."

 

[ElephantStomp]

I understand Saban’s point and agree with it

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

Defensive Sot's Oral Revelry.

I thought this had morphed into a Hugh Freeze thread.

 

[SnakeDoc]

We should always play those three schools EVERY YEAR..We always have…

Not a big deal to me.

Sometimes Saban is a head scratcher..

Absolutely.

 

[Davestwin]

@Davestwin when the sec started with 12, there were six schools who took football seriously. They were considered "The Have's." Now there will be nine. Whoever gets three gets screwed.

We will just have to agree to disagree on this. With the expanded playoff, teams with two and three losses will make it in. As a lifelong fan, I can’t stand the thought of not playing Tennessee, LSU and Auburn every year. So many of my favorite Bama football memories involve those three teams. I know Saban had to say what he said in order to set the table with the pollsters and the committee. He’s done that and I’m sure he will continue to do so. Just please don’t drop any of those three rivals.

 

[64Tide]

Never trust those in charge of scheduling. SEC office allowed all SEC teams to be off before the Bama game in 2010. Does anyone have any inside info how that happened? Hard for me to believe it was just a coincidence.

 

[TerryP]

We will just have to agree to disagree on this. With the expanded playoff, teams with two and three losses will make it in. As a lifelong fan, I can’t stand the thought of not playing Tennessee, LSU and Auburn every year. So many of my favorite Bama football memories involve those three teams. I know Saban had to say what he said in order to set the table with the pollsters and the committee. He’s done that and I’m sure he will continue to do so. Just please don’t drop any of those three rivals.

I get what you're saying. I would miss seeing UT and AU.

It doesn't change the fact that this schedule stacks the deck against Alabama, and only Alabama. Hoping for those three is also hoping the Tide have the hardest possible road to a playoff invitation: they'll be way behind the eight ball for an automatic berth.

 

[mando]

I get the concern about the imbalance but we play these three every year already and we have done alright. Is it the fact we are adding one more SEC game so now it will be even harder? We need one more easier game because of that? We would typically play a harder OOC game so the tradeoff could be to make OOC games less challenging to compensate.

You guys know me, I would drop the barn in a heart beat. It is time to stop propping their program up by playing us. Yeah I know I am the only one that thinks this way.