This isn't complicated
Even number years - 4 SEC road games, 5 SEC home games, 2 easy ooc games at home, UL in Louisville
Odd number years - 4 SEC home games, 5 SEC road games, 2 easy ooc games at home, UL in The Krog
Stoops might want to kill UL game with 9 game conf schedule, and he is justified. He is paid to win games, playing UL on top of 9 SEC ones is detrimental. We use the 3 easy ooc games to play and develop young guys who aren't ready for SEC bloodbath.
But as I said, the conference and ESPN will pull rank, and press UK to keep the series.
Crazy ironic thought - wouldn't it be better to play UL labor day weekend now? Instead of Thanksgiving, when after 9 SEC games our roster will be chewed and mauled?
Those 3 ooc games are guaranteed wins. Much needed with 9 game sec schedule.
Those 3 OOC games have done nothing to help prepare for the sec, one could argue they hurt. As evidenced by the hot starts generally followed by the “we’re not in OOC anymore” realization that come a week or two later.
I do like the idea of playing UL early. I would also move another comparable P5 in there. Nobody is saying load up with Notre Dame, Michigan, etc…however a Illinois, Kansas St, Washington St, etc along with UL I think would really get the team right heading into SEC play.
If CMS is an 8 million dollar coach, then he can handle an additional mid tier P5 program.
I mean UGA is going out and looking for fights against Clemson, Oregon, Notre Dame in their OOC…
If anyone can cry “need easy wins“ it’s UGA and the other top tier bowl and playoff regulars…they’re all going to play in a conference championship and a playoff game…going forward they’ll be playing in multiple play off games in the expanded version.
Scheduling Oregon, Irish, Texas, etc is high risk low reward for them. They win great…they lose they’re out…
For us it’s low risk high reward. We win, it’s a big momentum and program booster, may even help get a better bowl or playoff position should the team proceed to have an exceptional year. If we lose…we’re out what? A Music city bowl so we play in the gator or liberty bowl instead. But even in a loss to a good OOC team there is still something to be gained competitively. One it wakes the team up heading into SEC and gives them some things they can work on.
Also gain an additional game that gets better exposure which helps recruiting.