Georgia-Auburn game could be sacrificed in SEC scheduling
The Georgia-Auburn rivalry includes this battle: Uga vs. Robert Baker. (Montgomery Advertiser)
There is a chance that SEC conference expansion will claim one significant victim: The Georgia-Auburn series.
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Wednesday that SEC athletic directors will meet near the end of the month to discuss future football scheduling. With the conference’s addition of Texas A&M and Missouri, the two biggest questions: 1) Will the SEC go to a nine-game conference schedule? 2) Will expansion force for the end of the SEC’s annual East-West rivalry games of Georgia-Auburn and Alabama-Tennessee?
Answer to No. 1: Probably not.
Answer to No. 2: Possibly.
Georgia-Auburn is known as the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry,” dating back to 1892. They have played every year since 1898, with three exceptions: 1917, 1918 and 1943. The reasons: World War I and World War II. It appears “Conference Armageddon” may have an equal impact.
The ACC recently announced that teams will begin playing nine-game conference schedules when Pittsburgh and Syracuse officially join the league. McGarity is against the SEC increasing from eight-game schedules and does not sense there’s any movement in that direction. He said nine conference games might necessitate schools dropping a traditional local rivalry. Examples: Georgia-Georgia Tech, Florida-Florida State and South-Carolina-Clemson.
The future of Georgia-Auburn is less certain. Expansion will lead to schools playing six games against division opponents and two against the opposite division. (The current breakdown is five-three.) But there are only two traditional East-West rivalries in the SEC, which could lead to schools rotating opponents from the opposite division.
“I think if you ask Alabama and Tennessee, like us and Auburn, we’d like to retain the games,” McGarity said. “But does that work? What do the other 10 schools think? Those four schools like having those games but there’s no other East-West match-up that has that piece of history to it. So I don’t where that fits in.”
He said athletic directors will study “numerous models” when they meet.
“With 14 teams, not everybody will be happy,” he said. “Some will have a problem with everything. But we’ll make decisions based on the best situation of the league.”
By Jeff Schultz
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522 comments Add your comment
George Stein
February 8th, 2012
4:00 pm
Conference records of 2010 UNC and Tennessee: UNC 4-4, Tennessee 3-5
RxDawg
February 8th, 2012
4:01 pm
“Combining east and west, SC was certainly middle of the pack…But we clearly were well behind Alabama, LSU and Arkansas and were more or less equal with UGA.”
lol USC fans… you do realize that UGA is historicly the 3rd best SEC team of all time behind Bama and UT right? And if UGA could of played the 2nd half against LSU like the first, we’d be tied with UT for 2nd.
corkylovesbeer
February 8th, 2012
4:02 pm
We need to ask Clay Travis what he would do
Gordon
February 8th, 2012
4:03 pm
How’s this for an idea:
You eliminate the divisions entirely, and each team gets 3 permanent opponents. UGA’s would be Auburn, Florida, and maybe Tennessee or USC. You then play each of the other 10 teams once every other year. The top 2 teams, after tiebreakers, play in the championship game.
That is 8 games, you keep your most important games, and get to see everyone else in the league at least every other year and once every 4 years at home. Every student at UGA would see every other team in Athens during the time they were there.
What do you think?
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:03 pm
@RxDawg Silly UGA fans, confusing a statement clearly referring to LAST YEAR with it being about ALL TIME.
Mike
February 8th, 2012
4:04 pm
I think this is money talking again. If they played a nine game conference schedule, it will be more difficult to schedule enough home games to make as much money. It still makes no sense to me why they cant do it either way.
Nearly every SEC team is playing a home and home with some other BCS conference school. UGA will play a team like Oklahoma St. in addition to Ga Tech. South Carolina typically plays someone like NC St. in addition to Clemson. Florida will play South Florida or Miami in addition to FSU. Bama just got done playing PSU home and home. LSU is playing WVU, on and on.
The ninth conference opponent could just take the place of this extra out of conference home and home everyone is playing anyway. UGA could still play Tech, Clemson/USC and FSU/UF could still be played. Its not rocket science.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:05 pm
@George Stein – LOL, I just realized you were bringing up a game from two years ago (UNC-Tenn). You know your point is weak when you have to use one single game from two seasons ago to make it.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:06 pm
@Gordon I actually like that idea a lot, if the presidents could get it to work. Though it would be hell trying to get all 14 teams to agree on the 3 permanent rivals.
Gordon
February 8th, 2012
4:09 pm
@FJR,
Another advantage is that you actually get the best two teams into the championship game. This year for example, it probably would have been an Alabama/LSU rematch. Then OSU would have had their shot at the winner. Currently if one side or the other is loaded, somebody sneaks in from the weaker side. I’m sure that’s happended to UGA before.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:11 pm
@Mike It’s a pure money thing. For every team except UF-UGA, they would be forced to play 5 road games every other year. SEC teams don’t want to ever play 6 road games. So, considering USC/Clemson (just by way of example, it’d be true of any team with an out of conference rivalry) even if they manage to get that scheduled so that one year they play 4 SEC road games + clemson on the road and the next 5 SEC road games plus clemson at home, they then wouldn’t have the power to schedule ANY home and homes. EVERYTHING else would be patsy games where we don’t have to pay a return visit. SEC Presidents and ADs just aren’t going to do that. SEC stadiums make too much money to be forced to play 6 or more road games, and they don’t want to give up their freedome to play OOC home and homes.
Sam Robards, Dawg Fan
February 8th, 2012
4:12 pm
Losing UGA/Auburn and UT/Bama is UNACCEPTABLE. Those rivalries help make the backbone of the conference.
And threatening the out-of-conference rivalries (UGA/Tech, SCar/Clemson, UF/FL. State) in the wake of a potential 9-game conference schedule is like the non-logic that accompanies certain politicians when someone says they’re going to cut government funding. “We’ll fire all the policemen and schoolteachers!” Really? THAT’S the first thing you think to get rid of?
How about you drop one of the cupcake games that EVERY TEAM IN THE CONFERENCE schedules EVERY YEAR.
Rivalries make college football different from every other sport. You take those away for the sake of expansion revenue and CFB really WILL just be the NFL Lite.
RxDawg
February 8th, 2012
4:15 pm
“SEC stadiums make too much money to be forced to play 6 or more road games, and they don’t want to give up their freedome to play OOC home and homes.”
That’s a good point… until the TV money trumps it. And the TV money is getting good.
P.S. If your talking about last season then yes, that statement was correct. But in it’s context it felt like you were speaking of the programs as a whole. My mistake.
War Eagle
February 8th, 2012
4:16 pm
You can say one thing about McGarity, he`s the Bear Bryant of schedules. Who`s replaces Auburn, Cumberland College? Tech beat them 220-0 several years back.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
@gordon I 100% am on board with you. My only point is just think about the logistical nightmare of trying to get all 14 teams to agree on which teams are their 3 rivals. Think about Mississippi State, for instance. Sure you’ve got Ole Miss, but what two other teams would agree to be their permanent rivals? Bama is going Auburn, LSU, Tennessee. UF is going UGA, Tennessee, and maybe USC. You get the drift. I’d love for it to work, I just think it’d be a logistical nightmare to get teams to agree on that. And we’re not even talking about what two teams are going to agree to take on Missouri as permanent rivals (assuming they have to take TAMU).
Sam Robards, Dawg Fan
February 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
Reading some of the comments, I like Gordon’s idea.
Kill the division and give every team 3 or 4 permanent rivals, with the two best teams going to the SECCG in December.
That way’d we keep the rivalries while being able to see more teams more often. I honestly don’t see how that could possibly lose.
Truth
February 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
UGA’s AD is a Gator. He could care less about UGA traditions.
George Stein
February 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
It points out the flaws in your beliefs, FJR.
SEC vs ACC since 2007: 23-19
Rabun Dawg
February 8th, 2012
4:19 pm
I know the coaches probably would not be in favor of a nine game conference schedule, but why the heck not? Then, in UGA case, nine conference, keep GAT, and two OOC games. Who the heck wants to see more of New Mexico St., Coastal Carolina, etc., etc. Many give those tickets away or just do not go to them. Then the EvsW rivalry games mentioned can be preserved. But I am sure our AD really wants more of those “patsy” games so CMR can win his nine or so every year. At least he hopes he can!
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
@RXDawg But the TV money is going to be the same regardless. UGA brings in, what, like $5 Mill in revenue for every home game? Ask the AD or president what they care about more, $5 million they’d lose in an additional home game lost or rivalries that only 4 of the 14 teams really care about. As sad as it is, $5 Mill is more important to them, especially when you consider all 14 teams. Because that buys stadium expansions, upgraded facilities, etc. Which gets recruits, which win games, which brings in more money.
jvillebil
February 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
Gordon, I like you idea, but it makes too much sense and we all know making sense in such as a BCS 8 team playoff makes too much sense thus it won’t happen.
Trojan
February 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
GTBob is the name of the haircut that most girls at GT have. Did you see those shots of the student section at the UGA/GT game. Yikes!
Old Dog
February 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
“You can say one thing about McGarity, he`s the Bear Bryant of schedules. Who`s replaces Auburn, Cumberland College?”
I think they are scheduling the Lowdens County High School Girl’s marching band. Richt is hopeful that they can win that one so as to keep his record up.
Gordon
February 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
@FJR,
We have reached a situation where everyone is not going to get everything they want. In this system, I’m sure everyone would get the one they wanted the most, and probably the top 2. All 3? Probably not in most cases. But if you want 8 games, you either are going to have a VERY slow rotation or are going to have to drop permanent opponents. Either of those is going to upset a lot of people too. This plan only drops the divisions, which haven’t been in place long enough to really say its a tradition.
Think of the SEC conference emblem. A hub with 14 spokes coming out of it representing the teams. The team opposite to you and to either side of you are your permanent opponents. If you sit down and work out the must haves, I think most people will be mostly happy, which is all you can ask for at this point.
Mizzo and A&M within the SEC
February 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
My wife is a St. Louis girl, having been born there BUT she is an UGA alumna, growing up in ATL. She has never considered that she is a Show Me State Gal but she is. Beyond this, there is in my mind, no way that over 5 ydears or even 30 years, MIZZO and A&M will or can ever replace Auburn.
Families in this area usually have a divided house. Some attend GT ( sad too ) and some matriculated at UT or Florida ( my dad) or Alabama (the slow ones in our family) or at Vandy ( the ones that THINK that they are smart) and so on.
To lose the rivalry with Auburn can affect recruiting and all kinds of usual college or SEC area traditions and bragging rights and RECRUITING> with Georgia HS kids maybe not going to AU, because they will not be able to come home to Georgia and compete home and away.
A&M and Mizzo will be just games for us all. A&M does have a fairly decent LONG TERM history but just not since maybe the 70s with Bubba Bean and that crowd. MIZZO except for that Chas Daniels QB of 2 years ago ………………has not had any players that I recall, although the Falcons did draft one LB kid last year …………..Witherspoon?
Who in the SEC will benefit and have a good schedule? Arkansas and possibly LSU. THEY are closest to these states and they ( Arkansas) had a HUGE SWC rivalry at one time with A&M. Arkansas and MO will be a natural. That is it!
Go Dogs.
GTBob
February 8th, 2012
4:24 pm
GTBob is the name of the haircut that most girls at GT have. Did you see those shots of the student section at the UGA/GT game. Yikes!
I thought GT didn’t have any girls?
Rabun Dawg
February 8th, 2012
4:27 pm
Truth, the AD at UGA is a UGA grad. He only worked at Gatorville,and thinks as they did while he was there. Foley taught him well, I guess.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:28 pm
@george Stein Arbitrary endpoints much? Why not list the last 3 years? Why not list the last 10 years? Why not list last year? Or did you just pick 2007 because then the best two year period in history for the ACC against the SEC JUST SO HAPPENED to be 2007 and 2008. Over 2007-2008, mostly on the strength of a few teams, the SEC managed to actually have a winning record against the SEC. Outside of those two years, the SEC has DOMINATED the ACC.
All-Time the SEC is 263-130-10 against the ACC
George Stein
February 8th, 2012
4:29 pm
How many of those losses were by South Carolina when they were in the ACC?
I chose 2007 because it was as far back as simple Google search would yield data for. By the way, the ACC went 3-6 against the SEC in 2007, which was our weakest showing.
7576DAWG
February 8th, 2012
4:29 pm
When the SEC AD’s and President’s meet this year in Destin
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:30 pm
in the last posting I meant to say in 2007-2008 the ACC had a winning record against the SEC. Outside of those two years, the SEC has DOMINATED.
damn good dawg!
February 8th, 2012
4:31 pm
GTBob….did I hear you right??? Tech never has unrealistic expectations?????? OMG you ARE deluded!
GTBob
February 8th, 2012
4:34 pm
GTBob….did I hear you right??? Tech never has unrealistic expectations?????? OMG you ARE deluded!
Please give me an example of GT fans having unrealistic expectations.
Albert
February 8th, 2012
4:35 pm
GTBob likes to get on here every day and argue with these college kids. Makes him feel important, I guess.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:35 pm
alright, @george Stein, I gave you better numbers then. All-time we’re talking 263-130-10 in favor of the SEC. If you want to count all records for teams CURRENTLY in the SEC v. all teams CURRENTLY in the ACC, the SEC leads 875-705-72 (though a lot of that was done by Miami, and GT when they were not in the ACC).
George Stein
February 8th, 2012
4:36 pm
So you don’t see any value in trends, FJR?
timthebrave
February 8th, 2012
4:37 pm
9 conference games and 2 non conference games. I think this would work out better
headley lamar
February 8th, 2012
4:37 pm
I thought GT didn’t have any girls?
They have em but man are they dogs.
P.S. Please stop comparing the SEC to the ACC. It makes you look stupid.
Buzzed
February 8th, 2012
4:39 pm
GTBob; Here’s an example of unrealistic expectations: You – thinking your opinions matter to anyone but yourself and your type.
Dumbo
February 8th, 2012
4:39 pm
GTBob…just go away…better yet go hang on Manboobs at the Coke Joke
headley lamar
February 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
Please give me an example of GT fans having unrealistic expectations.
Ill give you 2.
1. After CPJ initial burst of success with Gaileys players we were told that ” there was a new sheriff in town ” That everything had changed now. That Tech had flipped the script on UGA and would begin dominating the series. How did that work out ?
2. Again after initial success we were told by Tech fans that ACC titles were nothing. That the program would be chasing BCS titles very soon and that CPJ walked on water.
Neither came true.
jvillebil
February 8th, 2012
4:41 pm
Can anyone tell me how all this conference jumping/swapping/adding/deleting got started several years ago? The problem with today’s generation is they actually know or care very little about tradition. In 25-years from now, there will be so many changes some kid from Vanderbilt’s CLASS OF 2037(which will now be playing in the ONLY 4.0 GPA LEAGUE) will be saying, “Hey I remember hearing that in the good ole days when we played in the ACC, & my daddy actually said, and can you believe this, we played in the SEC at one time. Georgia Tech will be playing in the (SCIENCE AND ENGINEER’S LEAGUE) Georgia and Florida will be playing in the (PARTY SCHOOL LEAGUE).
Tradition, well to the new society of college football organizers, it will just be a thing of the past. Their motto = SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Steve
February 8th, 2012
4:41 pm
A pox be upon the house of Mike Slive and the current ADs and Presidents for their naked greed. And let’s be honest here, college sports administrators would put heroin dealers to shame for all the ethics they have shown in the conference realignment dog’n'pony.
Bogey
February 8th, 2012
4:41 pm
FJR–I don’t see how the seven teams in the west would cycle through every 3 years if you are playing home and home in back to back years and that’s doing away with the traditional rival games. Can you explain?
7576DAWG
February 8th, 2012
4:43 pm
When the AD’s and the President’s of the school’s that make up the SEC meet this year in Destin I sure hope they will invite a couple of ESPN representative’s so they will know what to do or more importantly what not to do. We wouldn’t want to upset our money machine.
A better idea would be for the school’s not to have a meeting and just pay for an ESPN representative for each school of the SEC to meet in Destin themselves and decide how THEY want the SEC to handle thing’s. Then our AD and President wouldn’t have to waste their time or our money . Just let ESPN decide and let us know what we are suppose to do.
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
@george Stein um, sure. last year the ACC won, what, one game against the SEC? Florida State over Florida? I’ll take that trend of last year’s 5-1 trouncing by the SEC. (3-1 in the end of the year games, SEC 2-0 in bowl matchups).
Buzzed
February 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
Bigger loss to tek if they do away with the Georgia game. Except for the score, the game is a no-win for the Dawgs: strength of schedule suffers, Dawg fans suffer every other year in a small and more-confined dangerous environment, have to see the yellow fellas, etc.
George Stein
February 8th, 2012
4:45 pm
2011 ACC vs SEC record: 2-3
Steve
February 8th, 2012
4:46 pm
GTBob it really is true! You really don’t have a life! Wow! Did you notice this article has nothing to do with the bees? This is the second UGA blog you have been on today. Poor little boy.
Dumbo
February 8th, 2012
4:46 pm
Buzzed…you’re right…Tek would lose their only sell out every other year
FJR
February 8th, 2012
4:47 pm
@bogey
The home and homes wouldn’t be in consecutive years, I’d guess, under such a scenario. Though it wasn’t my idea to begin with.