SEC Conference 2019 Scheduling

[BIG ERN]

The SEC is back at it again. The fact that the NCAA doesn't keep things equal across the board is honestly amazing to me. In 2019 the all SEC teams will get 2 bye weeks, play 4 out of conference games, AND they still play an FCS opponent on the 13th week. Only do neutral site games - not home/away series for out of conference. 

 

Alabama 2019 Schedule

Aug. 31 vs. Duke in Atlanta

Sept. 7 vs. New Mexico State

Sept. 14 at South Carolina

Sept. 21 vs. Southern Miss

Sept. 28 vs. Ole Miss

Oct. 5: BYE

Oct. 12 at Texas A&M

Oct. 19 vs. Tennessee

Oct. 26 vs. Arkansas

Nov. 2: BYE

Nov. 9 vs. LSU

Nov. 16 at Mississippi State

Nov. 23 vs. Western Carolina

Nov. 30 at Auburn

 

Auburn 2019 Schedule

Aug. 31 vs. Oregon (Arlington, Texas)

Sept. 7 vs. Tulane

Sept. 14 vs. Kent State

Sept. 21 at Texas A&M

Sept. 28 vs. Mississippi State

Oct. 5 at Florida

Oct. 12 BYE

Oct. 19 at Arkansas

Oct. 26 at LSU

Nov. 2 vs. Ole Miss

Nov. 9 BYE

Nov. 16 vs. Georgia

Nov. 23 vs. Samford

Nov. 30 vs. Alabama 

[ScottyIce]

Everyone gets 2 bye weeks in 2019...calendar dictates it...now if you mean in 2020 and beyond, that's news.

[BIG ERN]

7 minutes ago, ScottyIce said:

Everyone gets 2 bye weeks in 2019...calendar dictates it...now if you mean in 2020 and beyond, that's news.

I read it as it will continue in 2020, but I could be wrong.....

[Redux]

They have been making the schedule work for them for a long time now.  It's blatant that they don't want tougher schedules and the "tough SEC schedule" excuse has run its course.

 

That said, I would propose we adopt a similar type of scheduling.  Play a tomato can like South Alabama in week 1.  Play Northwestern in week 2 In week 3 play a Power 5 team like Kansas State, Mizzou, Cal, Virginia etc.  By week 4 we already have a conference division win and are warmed up pretty well for the ugly slate of conference games that we typically get stuck with.  But this way we have a bye week in the middle and can schedule another tomato can for later in the year, the SEC does this right before rivalry week so they head into it with a better record and fresher team.

[kengel2]

Schedule Strength

 

SEC has 7 of the toughest schedules in the top 25.

 

Big 10 has 3.

 

Big 10 had a rough week last week. What only Ohio State won?

Big 10 was bad.

[jaws]

3 minutes ago, kengel2 said:

Schedule Strength

 

SEC has 7 of the toughest schedules in the top 25.

 

Big 10 has 3.

 

Big 10 had a rough week last week. What only Ohio State won?

Big 10 was bad.

 

You may want to wait till the end of the year to figure out who really had the toughest schedule. There isn't enough data points to really know right now.

 

I am saving my judgement on the Big 10 till after the season. This week to week analysis of conference strength is foolish. 

 

Even if the Big 10 is bad and the strength of schedule at the end of the year favors the SEC, that doesn't take away from the fact the SEC constructs schedules in a way that gives team byes or virtual byes late in the season. As an Ohio State fan, playing Western Carolina and Auburn back to back to finish out the season sounds better than playing Penn State and Michigan back to back. 

[Redux]

14 minutes ago, kengel2 said:

Schedule Strength

 

SEC has 7 of the toughest schedules in the top 25.

 

Big 10 has 3.

 

Big 10 had a rough week last week. What only Ohio State won?

Big 10 was bad.

 

Yeah the Big Ten is struggling a bit at the moment.  But by the end of the season, so will have 3/4 the SEC even with favorable scheduling.  Top 3 or 4 teams will emerge, rest will look pedestrian, just like the rest of the top conferences.

 

And of those 7, how many include FCS teams?  How many conference games?  The answer is typically 1 and always 8.

[kengel2]

22 hours ago, jaws said:

 

You may want to wait till the end of the year to figure out who really had the toughest schedule. There isn't enough data points to really know right now.

 

 

 

So I cant bring up the current year, but yall are complaining about next years schedule and how easy it is? Makes sense.

 

22 hours ago, jaws said:

Even if the Big 10 is bad and the strength of schedule at the end of the year favors the SEC, that doesn't take away from the fact the SEC constructs schedules in a way that gives team byes or virtual byes late in the season.

 

So the argument is not that the schedule is weaker, its that the SEC has harder schedules but they are setup better giving them a better chance of winning out? 

 

Im thinking Frost should go steal a scheduler from an SEC team.

[jaws]

29 minutes ago, kengel2 said:

 

So I cant bring up the current year, but yall are complaining about next years schedule and how easy it is? Makes sense.

 

 

So the argument is not that the schedule is weaker, its that the SEC has harder schedules but they are setup better giving them a better chance of winning out? 

 

Im thinking Frost should go steal a scheduler from an SEC team.

 

I'm saying that you can't look at the SOS with only three weeks of data. I think everyone complains about the composition of SEC schedules as a whole not just the first 3 weeks. I think we can all agree that it is harder to play a conference opponent than having a built in bye week and schedule a FCS or lower tier G5 team. 

 

The Big 10 sets the conference schedule and they don't really do anyone favors by allowing FCS teams on the back end of the schedule. 

[huKSer]

On 9/20/2018 at 8:01 AM, BIG ERN said:

The SEC is back at it again. The fact that the NCAA doesn't keep things equal across the board is honestly amazing to me. In 2019 the all SEC teams will get 2 bye weeks, play 4 out of conference games, AND they still play an FCS opponent on the 13th week. Only do neutral site games - not home/away series for out of conference. 

 

 

And the "neutral" site is almost always in the SEC footprint - usually a couple of hours drive from their campus.

 

There is one way to combat this - other conferences quit agreeing to play SEC teams unless it is a home and home series, and a HUGH buy out if (when) they back out of the away game.