🏈 Saban still favors more challenging schedules—proposed 10 conference games

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Alabama coach Nick Saban still advocates changing Southeastern Conference scheduling.

Saban was the only coach who supported adding a ninth SEC game before the league opted to stick to its current format. He said Wednesday at the Regions Tradition Pro-Am that if it was up to him, teams from the five power conferences would play only against each other.

He says there won't be much support for that unless the six-win minimum for bowl eligibility is changed to a formula based on RPI and strength of schedule.

Saban even floated the idea of playing 10 conference games, which he says ''would be much, much better for the fans.''

Saban says he ''didn't think our conference would be so easily influenced to stay at the current way that we do it.''

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[TerryP]

Saban even floated the idea of playing 10 conference games, which he says ''would be much, much better for the fans.''

:think:

 

[ElephantStomp]

What would make the fans is for schools not to play cupcakes.

 

[rick4bama]

What would make the fans is for schools not to play cupcakes.

But the fan want big blow out too.

 

[planomateo]

SEC will be going to 9 conf games...just a matter of when. I'm holding out hope that its in a few years when this 8 game agreement ends.

 

[252BAMA]

Bama doesn't have a lot of choices when scheduling OOC games. Think about it. If you are an AD at another school, what is the LAST damn school you want to schedule?

 

[alabama mike]

I like the idea of tougher OCG.

 

[TerryP]

Bama doesn't have a lot of choices when scheduling OOC games. Think about it. If you are an AD at another school, what is the LAST damn school you want to schedule?

Careful now. You're interrupting the narrative with logistical facts here.

Alabama has backed out of the home and home with Michigan State. Penn State rescheduled the home and home back in the early 2000's. It's pretty clear, at least to me, we favor playing neutral site games far more than playing home and home series. It's a win-win situation on a lot of fronts—financially, recruiting, and national exposure just to mention a few.

The crazy thing a lot ignore is sustained success with these OOC games. IE: We're playing West Virginia this upcoming season and when that game was scheduled WVU was coming off of a 10-3 season. That season for WVU was just capped off with that beat-down of Clemson in the Orange Bowl—what was it, 70 to 30 something? Take that into consideration when scheduling home and home series is done 8-10 years in the future. Take that into consideration when people mention how our 2014 schedule is soft.

Oh hell...'bout to get me started on a rant.

:rant2:
...
:bolt:

 

[ElephantStomp]

I totally understand that it is hard for a school like Alabama to schedule OCC games against tougher opponents because of NC implications and all that, but I imagine they can schedule a little tougher teams than say Louisiana Monroe, Citadel, etc.

I do think Alabama has done a decent job in that regard with Penn St, Clemson, WVU, etc. Like Terry said when the game was made against WVU they were just coming off a 10-3 season, so I won't be listening to people and their soft schedule nonsense.

 

[TerryP]

@ElephantStomp As far as SEC teams and their fans are concerned, there isn't any room for them to talk about schedule; at all. As soon as they do all that's required is mentioning one thing.

"You're saying that when your own administration voted against scheduling a ninth SEC conference game."

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

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Alabama coach Nick Saban had the most to gain with the SEC's decision to keep conference play at eight games. But the league's best and most successful coach during the SEC's run of seven straight BCS national championships wanted things a little tougher. Saban, who has three national championships at Alabama, wanted nine conference games per season. The coach who has greatly benefited from the traditional eight-game conference slate felt it was better for the league if it made things harder for everyone.

ESPN's SEC Blog—Continue reading...

 

[riz]

I, for one, really look forward to our games with UT Chatanooga and Western Carolina. Throw in a little Western Kentucky every now and then, mmmm mmmm, Grandpa.