Under the implementation of the new system in 2024. We get 3 protected rivals. I'm saying Vanderbilt will stay...so who's our 3rd? SC or State?
Tennessee will stay on our schedule
- Thread starter panthergram
- Start date
I think neither of those teams. I would be shocked if it is not either Florida or Georgia. Those 4 teams make up our most noted and natural rivalries over the years. It has been our fault that we didn;t do better against those teams. However, we did compete well with Florida before Spurrier. I personally hope that Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt are the three. But even though its tough for us - I love the thought of playing Georgia as well. It's up to UK to compete and answer the challenge no matter who are the permanent opponents. As they say - "To be the best - you must be the best!"
Go Big Blue!
It could very well be Tennessee Vanderbilt and Georgia...I really wouldn't want Tennessee Georgia and Florida in addition to the others we would have to play. Could you see a schedule with those 3, Oklahoma, LSU and let's say State, Auburn and Arkansas? I do agree with be the best play the best. Actually the biggest reason for any resurgence we've had has been our schedule.
I do hope we retain UT on the schedule. I believe it’s the third oldest rivalry/series in the SEC.
It would make sense if we kept Vandy, UT and Mizzou.
Only two Sec states border Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky.
I like the rivalries with USCe and State, but geographically they make little sense (or, there are other groupings that make more sense.)
Yes, it’s a pretty long haul from Lexington to Columbia, Missouri, but 3/4’s of the rest of the SEC are even farther away.
Only two Sec states border Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky.
I like the rivalries with USCe and State, but geographically they make little sense (or, there are other groupings that make more sense.)
Yes, it’s a pretty long haul from Lexington to Columbia, Missouri, but 3/4’s of the rest of the SEC are even farther away.
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Not convinced we have Tennesse on our schedule, I would bet they end up with Vandy, Alabama, and Florida, those last 2 are always big TV ratings games and that is ultimately what this is about.
Could see Georgia with Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina. That would leave Florida with Georgia, Tennessee, and a 3rd that could potentially be us.
Between Vandy, Missouri, Miss St, and South Carolina I see us ending up with 2 of those teams on our schedule. Thats not just wishful thinking on my part, but when you go through and look at the rivalries they are likely to protect we are going to be on the back burner and be stuck with the leftovers for scheduling - and I am not complaining.
Could see Georgia with Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina. That would leave Florida with Georgia, Tennessee, and a 3rd that could potentially be us.
Between Vandy, Missouri, Miss St, and South Carolina I see us ending up with 2 of those teams on our schedule. Thats not just wishful thinking on my part, but when you go through and look at the rivalries they are likely to protect we are going to be on the back burner and be stuck with the leftovers for scheduling - and I am not complaining.
Any scheduling that separates Vandy and Kentucky would be pretty stupid: it is one of the few SEC rivalries that can be handled with buses.
Hell, it’s all guess-work, until we find out what Alabama wants.
As for Vandy, a lot of fan bases like a trip to Nashville, for more than just a likely win, so we probably get screwed out of Vandy.
While this make sense for UK, I doubt we will have much to say about the schedule. I believe it will be determined by TV money and the big football schools. Thus, assuming four team pods, Bama and Auburn will be in the same pod. Likewise OU and UTx. (Iron Bowl and Red river rivalry) After those games there is Ga/FL, Bama/LSU, Bama/UTn, UTn/A&M. Other factors GA/Bama in different pods, two MS schools in same pod. I expect all of these factors to rank above a UK-UTn match-up.
If UTn wants to play Bama every year, I don't see very little probability of UK being in the same pod.
I'd take UT, SC, and LSU right now. I'd love to see us swap State for LSU. Vandy... meh. We can take them on rotation.
Hmmm.
Then the “lower half” of the SEC could benefit by being grouped together, as Vandy, UK, Arkansas, the Mississippi’s and USCe do not draw the same viewers.
Hmmm.
Yeah, I guess my mileage calculations don’t mean much compared to the 70 million other reasons this is happening.
Nashville is a much better destination than Red Stick.
Half of Western Kentucky empties out for the Vandy trip. I’ve met Kentucky fans in Nashville that do not regularly attend games in Lexington.
One thing we can agree on: it won’t be up to UK.
Our uptick in competiveness might make some conference “powers” want to shun us: a loss to Kentucky is still an embarrassment to most.
You're right about the Purchase and Pennyrile loving that Vandy rivalry. I'll bet we lose it. We can't have nice things. Not allowed. Yes, Baton Rouge is a dump. Fun to host them, though. I can be happy with a lot of things, but definitely prefer... no State unless they are told to lose the cowbells... also, would prefer three middling teams over extremes... don't show me UGA, Vandy and wildcard.
Florida, Mizzou, Arkansas?
Maybe. But it’ll chap my arse having to make those drives.
The Fayetteville trip is the longest I have made for a Cats’ road game.
Mizzou seems to love hating us, so there’s that.
Can we get Craft and others to buy the SEC off? I say we get Vandy, Missouri, and Mississippi State. We can’t win in Starkville but feel confident at the other two!
I believe our 3 permanent teams to play each year will be Tennessee, South Carolina, and Vandy
With our luck they are going to stick us with Bama, UGA and Oklahoma.
There's not going to be any pods... Sankey the Yankee has totally scrapped that concept
You obviously didn't study geography chief... Tennessee borders Missouri as well.
- I think the SEC operates with all schools having equal say. The big football schools may have a majority, so in that case you'd be right. But they all have competing interests.
- There are not going to be 4-team pods.
4 pods, based on clustered location:
Kentucky, Vandy, Missouri, Arkansas
Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, MSU
Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
TAMU, LSU, Texas and Oklahoma
Of course, that might not be the selected 3 annual games for everyone, but at this point it’s as good of a guess as any.
Kentucky, Vandy, Missouri, Arkansas
Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, MSU
Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
TAMU, LSU, Texas and Oklahoma
Of course, that might not be the selected 3 annual games for everyone, but at this point it’s as good of a guess as any.
That's not going to happen...there will be no pods... Sankey already said no to that
At first blush, it sort of sounds like pods, but just because we and (guessing) Mizzou are each one of the other program’s annual “protected opponents” doesn’t mean we share such status with the same two others. Their remaining annual opponents might be Arkansas and Oklahoma, and ours might be Vandy and UT.
Frankly, I kind of like this set up, unless we get screwed out of both Mizzou and Vandy.
I was able to find that prediction. UK would have MO, State and OM as permanent if that model is correct.
I've made a few possible ways to do this and it gets hard to give everybody what they want, preserve all the big rivalries. To start, you can 100% ink in games like Alabama-Auburn, Alabama-Tennessee, Georgia-Florida, Oklahoma-Texas. NONE of our games are top or even 2nd tier priority so we're among the hardest teams to predict - as someone else said, we'll get what's left over.
Left overs can be good. Might not be great but we could end up with something good from it. I will say this, VANDY, KENTUCKY, MIZZOU will be others lesser game (Bama / UGA / FLA / LSU / Texas) when they do the perm 3. I do not think really we will end up playing VANDY every year or Mizzou every year. We might play State every year since we are 50/50 in that series. I could see something like Miss State / UGA / Florida as our 3 yearly games.
I don't understand OM at all. We have no history with them.
Nah. Too obviously correct. Doesn't get in the way of any other school's preferences, so need to be convoluted instead.
Give me a few to find it and try to get it
https://247sports.com/college/georg...s-in-new-SEC-schedule--204520129/?#M204520129.
I hope that doesn't get me banned
The 247 one isn't the first I saw but only one I can find right now. No one really knows just speculation.
It's doubtful that we get Tennessee. They will be locked in with Alabama and Vandy as their two most prized football rivals.
I would prefer that our permanent games be Vandy, UT, and Florida, but I don't think we'll get that fortunate.
It has been said that the upper half teams agreed to play two games against their grouping and one game against the lower group (and vice versa). The upper half teams are considered to be: Florida, Georgia, Bama, Aubie, Texas, OU, A&M, and LSU.
As much as UT hates the idea of being in the bottom group, they are. So, under that scenario, expect UK to have two of its three permanent opponents from the bottom group. I sure hope that it's Vandy and UT (or Vandy and Mizzou), but I don't think we'll be that lucky.
Dellenger from sports illustrated reported that our most likely opponents will be MSU and Arky and Georgia. This would not be a great outcome, but I suppose that it could be worse.
I would prefer that our permanent games be Vandy, UT, and Florida, but I don't think we'll get that fortunate.
It has been said that the upper half teams agreed to play two games against their grouping and one game against the lower group (and vice versa). The upper half teams are considered to be: Florida, Georgia, Bama, Aubie, Texas, OU, A&M, and LSU.
As much as UT hates the idea of being in the bottom group, they are. So, under that scenario, expect UK to have two of its three permanent opponents from the bottom group. I sure hope that it's Vandy and UT (or Vandy and Mizzou), but I don't think we'll be that lucky.
Dellenger from sports illustrated reported that our most likely opponents will be MSU and Arky and Georgia. This would not be a great outcome, but I suppose that it could be worse.
Like everyone is saying - who really knows? However, I think perfection if we can only have 3 permanent would be Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Florida. We have long histories with all three of them and we don't have a great winning pct. against any of them. But if you wanted to balance with teams we have been competitive with over the years the choices would be Vandy, Miss. State and South Carolina or Missouri. Since we will end up playing everyone every other year ( I think that is the plan?) it is going to be fun regardless and the 12 team playoff will make it less important for everyone who they play year in and year out - because it is always going to be this to win championships - "To be the best you must beat the best!".
Go Big Blue
I have seen 3-4 of the possible schedules and this is first one I have seen with UGA and UK as permanent opponents. I personally don't like any of them much but I don't get a vote. If it was determined this year, Bama would have been in the SEC championship because people in Birmingham would have decided.
My option would be move Bama and AU to the East, Arky and Mo the west along with Texas and OU. 7 division game, rotate 2 cross conference game, or 3 if seeing every school quicker is a big deal. Keep who plays conference championship game on the field and out of Birmingham.
Grump, I’m your original post, you said the prediction was: Mo, State and OM.
The prominent, artful listing that you link gives us Vandy, UT and South Carolina.
I’d prefer the second one, as Ole Miss is not a traditional opponent for us, and I like traveling to Knoxville and especially Nashville.
I think it is funny that all these sources are coming up with likely scenario’s, but none of them match up!!
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If that is the case, I would want either Georgia or Florida out of the “upper” half of teams.
Then Vandy and UT. Or Vandy and Mizzou.
If we go to a nine game schedule and fully rotate 6 for 6 non-protected opponents, it will still put us against everyone, every two years . . . . so we’ll be at A & M, Bama, Auburn, etc., once each 4 years.
It all makes some sense.
Whatever U of L and Brohm can get done to us better be done in 2023, as he’ll only have potential bowl game matchups from ‘24, on!