I meant to share this hypothetical schedule two weeks ago and forgot: More permanent opponents...

...actually adds an interesting twist.

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A format is available that achieves ALL the following criteria:​

• • Preserves the major rivalry games ANNUALLY.
  • Play all schools at least once every TWO years.
  • HOST & VISIT the whole conference every FOUR years.
  • Maintains 2 round-robin DIVISIONS for the SEC Championship Game under existing NCAA rules.
  • Accomplishes all this is EITHER an 8 or 9 game schedule.
  • Maximizes the quantity of marquee match-ups for fans and TV.
  • Fosters greater rivalry, competition, history & cohesion between all SEC schools over the long run.

Let’s start with the end RESULTS: ​

Here is an example football schedule for a complete 2-year cycle, both 8 and 9 game versions. You could put it on your fridge now for the next 20 years. Further down you’ll find the step-by-step explanation of the formula to generate them, the divisions, how the scheduling goals are all met at once, and why it’s called the Roommate Switch.​

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As you can see below: the rivalries are played every year and you play the whole conference every two years, while keeping Division play intact. It maximizes the SEC’s “attractive game” potential in a balanced way, and makes for a tight-knit conference of rivals. Fans, TV, recruits, and history books would eat this up year after year. This format would be another quantum leap ahead of other conferences, similar to the SEC’s trailblazing move to divisions 20 years ago.​

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The Bottom Line (8-Games): In the 8-Game version everyone has 3 permanent opponents and rotates the other 10 teams at five per season. There are 2 round-robin divisions each year on a simple 2-year cycle (even/odd years).​

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The Bottom Line (9-Games): If a 9th Game is added everyone picks up a 4th and 5th permanent opponent via the 9th game, rotating the remaining 8 teams at four per year. ​

• • Game 9 assignments shown below are just for example purposes, to show some possibilities. Actual Game 9 assignments would be made by the conference.
  • Other options for Game 9 are discussed in Step 4 further down, such as “Nearly-Permanents” that play 3 of 4 years, or NFL-style schedule-equalizer games).

Read the entire breakdown here...
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As long as Georgia or Florida is Alabama's other annual opponent and not Mizzou or Kentucky

 

No thanks, kiss your annual Conjugal UT visit goodbye.

 

Bama permanent opponents would be Vandy, Kentucky, and Tennesse. LSU gets Florida, the GreenBay Packers, and the Baltimore Ravens.

 

Using their example, and bringing back into this conversation the "have's and have not's" in the SEC, I see that as the best way.

Let's assume there are four permanent opponents. Why not make the top teams of the West face the top teams of the East year in and year out? Why not make Bama's permanent opponents UGA, UF, UT, and now UofSC? And on the same note, make LSU's the same?

On the same note, make your UGA's go through LSU, Bama, Auburn, and now A&M? Make the same schedule for UF, UT, and UofSC.

The best are playing the best and those who have historically struggled in the SEC are rotation on and off the schedules.

It's a win, win, win. Great for TV, great for fans, great for the schools.

With the mention of attendance dropping how many empty seats do you think would be found with schedules like that? The SEC office renegotiating TV deals? How's that for a package to sell?

One thing for certain. It's a unique concept. The author was truly thinking out of the box and did a good job with his write-up.

 

I like this.

 

Absolutely. But I don't see ever getting rid of the permanent opponent. Bama has too much sway, and it makes life easier for Ole miss, Vandy, Kentucky, Miss. St.

 

I'll take complicated.

Is this a situation where you have to close one eye, squint with the other, just to wrap your head around how it works? Almost. I had to play it through a few times with different teams.

But in in the end, I would rather see a team every few years than have breaks like we do today.

Rotating teams takes us back to conversations earlier. Some just won't work, like rotating one team off each year. No, let me change that. Some won't be approved like rotating one team off each year.