Mark Stoops addresses concerns about proposed 9-game SEC schedule: 'You're gonna eat your own'

Throughout the offseason, one of the SEC’s biggest storylines was its conference schedule. A nine-game slate was on the tale once again, though the league is preparing to play eight games once again in 2025.

Commissioner Greg Sankey doubled down on his support for a nine-game schedule during an interview with ESPN. The idea isn’t quite as popular among coaches, though, and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops shared his biggest concerns.

Speaking on SiriusXM College Sports Radio, Rick Neuheisel pointed out the SEC played 10 games during the COVID-impacted 2020 season. Stoops pointed out the way that went as Kentucky went 4-6 before taking down NC State in the Gator Bowl. He said it became even more challenging, plus adding one more conference game would guarantee another loss for half the teams.

“You’re gonna eat your own,” Stoops said. “I think that’s what people have to weigh. To me, it doesn’t – it’s brutally hard every year. We have the sixth-most difficult schedule in the country. And I think the way some people analyze this, if you look at the strength of schedule, I think there’s going to be 10 or 11 or 12 SEC [teams] in the top 10 or 11 and 12. I said this before some of my friends actually at other Power Fives that have said a few things … why wouldn’t they want us to play nine? Why in the world wouldn’t they? We already have a brutally hard schedule. Why wouldn’t they? Because it’s not only the one more loss – so you’re guaranteeing 50% of the conference one more loss. That’s one thing.

“What about the compounding effect that goes on through the year? Look at what happened when we played 10. We won four, and I want to say we finished sixth in the conference or something. … Right in the middle. You’re gonna chew up some people. But, hey, Coach [Neuheisel]. Bring it on, man.”

‘What college football fan wouldn’t want to see 9?’

The idea of a nine-game SEC schedule is especially important in the College Football Playoff conversation. On3’s Brett McMurphy reported the Big Ten will not support a 5-plus-11 format if the SEC doesn’t go to a nine-game schedule. The Big Ten continues to champion a 4-4-2-2-1 model with automatic qualifiers.

Mark Stoops said he understands why Sankey and the rest of the SEC brass would want to add another game. He also pointed out fans would also be interested in another game, but admitted how many factors play into the decision.

“Truthfully, politically, answering it the right way, there’s a lot of things that go into it,” Stoops said. “Let’s be honest. I understand the position – to some extent, I understand the position of Greg and the leadership of this conference and the commissioner and the presidents of our institutions. They have to pay the bills, things are changing. What college football fan wouldn’t want to see nine?”