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
5150 UOAD
February 8th, 2012
10:11 pm
Thanks STEVE. I finished a job this morning and got done around lunch. been watching some Basket ball tonight.
5150 UOAD
February 8th, 2012
10:15 pm
Brainiac….a PUSH over? a Home & Home with OREGON was a Pushover. Hahahaha that is rich. UGA would have gone to the Left Coast last year and OREGON in Athens this year. So what PUSHOVER did McGarity drop? Don’t let the facts get in the way.
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
10:15 pm
From Michael Adams:
“My best guess is we’re going to end up with either a four- or eight-team playoff by the time we get to ’14,” he told the executive committee of the UGA Athletic Association’s board of directors Wednesday.
Adams’ assessment came during the regularly scheduled winter meeting of the board, which also received an update in closed session on contract-extension negotiations with football coach Mark Richt.
_____________________________________________________________________________
This clown has NO business discussing Football. He is what is wrong with UGA football. He wants the spotlight on “HIM” and he finished ruining Georgia Football by forcing Vince Dooley out as AD.
I am not at all a UGA fan, but look at the successful programs around and you see a Strong AD who lets his football coach run the program and the President stays in the background and out of the spotlight.
Michael Adams needs to leave the conference and leave college sports alone.
Brainiac(Dawg For Life) / (CMR fan for life)
February 8th, 2012
10:23 pm
@ AU in Vestavia:
The War Chickens need to move out of the D-1 Conference and find a Junior College Conference.
They are history unless they fire Chizik and hire St. Saban.
No Cam The Scam = No championship
GregGamePlan
February 8th, 2012
10:27 pm
don’t you remember when McGarrity was hired from Fla. He said then the plan was to play 12 games–8 SEC, Tech (due to the rivalry) and 3 Pushovers like UF did every year, since the SEC schedule was so brutal. So now what I am understanding is he is saying that if we go to 9 SEC games, we’ll have to drop Tech to make room for the 3 pushovers. Huh?
Keep Ga Tech and cancel Fla Atlantic or Buffalo. He won’t because as Greg learned at UF, winning records bring in the donors. It’s all about the Money !!
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
10:27 pm
Do Georgia Fans realize that Mark Rich is:
30-27 against Top 25 Opponents?
While:
Nick Saban is 32-17
Les Miles is 33-26
Steve Spurrier is 18-21
Bobby Petrino is 14-17
Kinda puts it into perspective.
Ron
February 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
So Richt is the third best sec coach. Your point?
Dawg48
February 8th, 2012
10:33 pm
Do Bama fans realize Nick Saban is
0 and1 vs loisiana Monroe?
5150 UOAD
February 8th, 2012
10:34 pm
MONKEY that is Spurrier at So Carolina. What is his record including Duke and Florida?
Dawg48
February 8th, 2012
10:39 pm
Doubt Spurrier played any top 25 teams at Duke. They are in the ACC.
Dawg48
February 8th, 2012
10:40 pm
Well, maybe in a bowl game or a OOC game.
AUAlum
February 8th, 2012
10:42 pm
I love the UGA game, it is generally a good rivalry. I define that as usually a good game and even if some fans don’t like the other school everyone at least acts there mother gave them some manners. I agree with GTBob in that tv won’t let the Iron Bowl go away nor will the Alabama legislature because of the money it brings into the state and the schools on marketing and press attention. If they intefered with sponsor companies for years they’ll certainly pressure the SEC. Let’s go to nine games, we’ll dump NESW Louisiana and everyone else dump a patsy.
As for the SEC v. ACC, I have no ill will towards the ACC as I’ve had good experiences at several of their stadiums. However, we are the only conference with a winning record in the BCS Championship game with an 8-1 record (and the loss was to another SEC school). The ACC is 2-4. We are also 16-7 in BCS bowls and the ACC is 2-13.
Brainiac(Dawg For Life) / (CMR fan for life)
February 8th, 2012
10:46 pm
@ 5150:
I have refrained from picking on you but since you keep begging for it I will try to accomodate you even though you have no dog in this fight. Are you saying Boise was not a step up from Oregon? At the time the Boise State game was finalized they were ranked No.5 in the nation so that pretty well disqualifies your nerdofthemonth statement about McGarity trying to schedule ALL easy games.
If he wants an undefeated season all he would have to do is schedule your Junior College-like Bunglebees all 12 games.
Why are y’all having so many NCAA problems yet are still having problems acquiring an above .500 season?
And why are y’all even still talking football Oh, now I remember. Your BB team is even worse than your Middle School Offense running football team
HOUDAWG
February 8th, 2012
10:59 pm
Hey JacketFan …….. You forgot to include Tech among ….. “UL-Lafayette, UAB, Coastal Carolina, Idaho State, Tenn Tech, Western Carolina, or any of the other numerous OOC cupcakes y’all play ” !! DumbA$$ …… !!!!
Brainiac(Dawg For Life) / (CMR fan for life)
February 8th, 2012
10:59 pm
Little publicized facts from Red Elephant Country(Things you will never hear from a Bama fan)
UGA/CMR owns St. Saban ………………………..SS has lost 3 of 4 to UGA/CMR
Louisiana Monroe owns St. Saban………………SS has lost 1 of 1 to LM
Can I get an AMEN??????????????????????
Life is good in Dawg Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
intheknow
February 8th, 2012
11:00 pm
Monkey been playing with your Banana again? or have you been in your bathroom all day worshiping Saban?
Lee
February 8th, 2012
11:00 pm
Come on PEOPLE,,,,,,the AU/UGA game shoule always be played. The Bama people act as people in Tennessee see their game in the same light. Thats BULL BULL BULL. The new UT athletic director owes his career to Mal Moore, the athletic director at alabama. Thats the only reason UT is concerned about that game.
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
11:12 pm
Dawg48
February 8th, 2012
10:33 pm
Do Bama fans realize Nick Saban is
0 and1 vs loisiana Monroe?
Got to love a dumba$$ who wants to go back to the first year of a coaches tenure, while easily forgetting that losing to Colorado and UCF in his 9th year, and to EVERY Final TOP 25 Team they played in his 10th year.
Let’s not forget losing Blackout. Easy to win an argument with UGA fans.
Lets not even get into the last 4 years of graduation rates. Alabama/Saban has seen theirs go from 6th in the conference to 3rd, while UGA has gone from 4th to 7th in that same period of time.
UGA wins one title, The Fulmer Cup. Their only title.
Thanks for playing but you lose again.
5150 UOAD
February 8th, 2012
11:13 pm
Brainiac Boise State isn’t better than Oregon. They are give or take pretty even. Oregon plays better competition year in year out. What McGarity did was to lose 2 hard games for 1 in the DOME.
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
11:19 pm
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-rankings/?reportId=22
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
11:26 pm
Steve Spurrier was 54- 12 verse top 20 teams(not top 25) teams while at Florida…just answering the question.
5150 UOAD
February 8th, 2012
11:28 pm
Monkey I figured his numbers had to be higher since he has coached so long.
Monkey
February 8th, 2012
11:30 pm
Brainiac(Dawg For Life) / (CMR fan for life)
February 8th, 2012
10:59 pm
Little publicized facts from Red Elephant Country(Things you will never hear from a Bama fan)
UGA/CMR owns St. Saban ………………………..SS has lost 3 of 4 to UGA/CMR
Louisiana Monroe owns St. Saban………………SS has lost 1 of 1 to LM
Can I get an AMEN??????????????????????
Life is good in Dawg Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
_____________________________________________________________________________
The real record:
Nick Saban vs. Mark Richt
Record against Mark Richt since 2000: 3-2
Last home loss against Mark Richt: September 22, 2007
Last road win against Mark Richt: September 27, 2008 Season Nick Saban School Mark Richt School Outcome Location
2008 Alabama Georgia Win, 41-30 (see details) Away
2007 Alabama Georgia Loss, 23-26 (see details) Home
2004 Louisiana State Georgia Loss, 16-45 (see details) Away
2003 Louisiana State Georgia Win, 34-13 (see details) Atlanta, GA
2003 Louisiana State Georgia Win, 17-10 (see details) Home
Mac
February 8th, 2012
11:40 pm
I think we mu$t remember that thing that i$ mo$t important to college football, and it i$ not tradition, nor fan $ati$faction, but $omething much more $erious and $acred to Univer$ity Pre$idents, athletic director$ and tru$tees.
Ckgator
February 8th, 2012
11:49 pm
Money first, and us fans second.
Simple as that.
Dawg16
February 8th, 2012
11:54 pm
I would hate to see the UGA/AU game lost…. Because the SEC added to sorry a$$ programs like A&M and Mizzu…. They should have gone and gotten Clemson and FSU, but I know that it was all about money and the different TV markets….. But make no mistake about it the vote that will matter the most will be Alabama!!!! If they want to keep Tennesse (which I think they will) they will keep Tennesee on their schedule and then the Georgia/Auburn game will be saved….. as much as it pains me to say…. The rest of the conference does not care about what Georgia and Auburn have to say…..
5150 UOAD
February 9th, 2012
12:08 am
That is right. The 100K+ at Bama and UT will still buy tickets so the presidents don’t care. The 80K+ at UGA and Auburn will still buy tickets so the presidents don’t care. Until the FANS don’t send in checks to renew season tickets the fans will not get what they want. Fans of all these schools are too afraid of losing their season tickets so they will continue to be force fed crappy OOC games and dropping Traditions because the presidents can do what they want to you sheep.
Tony B
February 9th, 2012
12:13 am
Gotta keep the Auburn-Georgia game annual no matter what. I’m an Auburn grad happily married to a Georgia grad and we look forward to that game every season. War Eagle!
Jeff Kirk
February 9th, 2012
12:28 am
If the AU v UGA game is dropped so will my season tickets. This is ridiculous!! Until we make the “leaders” of the SEC feel the pain, they will continue to do stupid things like let expand the conference to levels which destroy all traditions. It’s time we put a stop to this garbage and make our voices heard through the only method that SEC hears … $$$$.
Tybee Island
February 9th, 2012
12:38 am
Enter your comments here
Tybee Island
February 9th, 2012
12:39 am
This would be a BAD move by the SEC.
For Info on tybee island vacations visit: http://www.sandysbytheshore.com
$$$EC
February 9th, 2012
12:41 am
I agree totally, we sports fans have created a bold and pompous group of individuals that are running these teams and University’s now….. We pay these coaches and University Presidents way to much money for the job they do….. And we wonder why they don’t listen to us, because they are a bunch of arrogant pricks….. They don’t care if people stop buying their season tickets or not renew their sky box contracts, they will just move the next guy in line in your old spot…. It has gotten out of control….. I played football in the SEC and have had a sky box for over a decade at my beloved school, and I know I am complaining about the very problem that I am contributing to, but the truth is the truth, these a-holes that are calling the shots you would not let them run a popcorn stand for you, but they are the ones in charge and they are making decisions without any regard for the fans, alums or contributors. It is a bunch of garbage if you ask me.
Chuck UGA
February 9th, 2012
1:20 am
Wow, this is a disaster. I do NOT want to lose the Auburn game. I am especially against this change in scheduling because we as UGA fans can now count on one annual SEC loss for Tennessee (to Bammer, at least until Nicky leaves) which helps us in the division.
sting_em
February 9th, 2012
1:36 am
At the very lease, I see the GT UGA, CLEM USC, and UF FSU moved to a more suitable week. UGA should be playing UF or USC last week. TECH should play Clem or NCSt, and UF should play TEN, FSU and Miam. It would make for a great week of football. Most would have some say in who goes to the Conf championship. GA could just keep their GT game alive (Sometime in Oct). Now if they ever go back to 11 games all bets are off.
UGAKEV
February 9th, 2012
2:07 am
Drop Georgia Tech and keep Auburn as a non conference game. Simple as that.
5150 UOAD
February 9th, 2012
2:24 am
ugakev…how stupid is that statement. How can you make a conference team a Non Conference Game? You UGa education is showing.
Buckeye
February 9th, 2012
7:04 am
Auburn has a women’s gymnastics team?
ekd
February 9th, 2012
7:34 am
why would you lose rival games by going to 9? goog grief you have 12 total. just move the rival games to the first 1-4 weeks of the season.
We didn’t ask for this, fellas. | Get The Picture
February 9th, 2012
7:38 am
[...] guess this is my day to crap all over Greg McGarity, but really, I can’t let this comment pass. “I think if you ask Alabama and Tennessee, like us and Auburn, we’d like to retain the [...]
AU Eagle
February 9th, 2012
7:51 am
After losing to Georgia 45-7, can we play Texas A & M instead?
Good Grief
February 9th, 2012
7:54 am
Whole problem could’ve been solved by moving Auburn to the East. If you wanted to maintain traditional cross-division rivalries, then Auburn-Alabama becomes the full-time rivalry game. Georgia and Tennessee would need new cross-division rivals, but the SEC jsut added two new teams. Tennessee gets Mizzou and Georgia gets Texas A&M. By moving Auburn to the East, you also renew the yearly rivalry game between Auburn and Florida.
Yes, I know moving Auburn would’ve been difficult, but they are the easternmost SEC West team, they have a history with many East school, and it makes more sense for them to be in the East than Missouri.
chilidawg
February 9th, 2012
7:54 am
If it ain’t broke, fix it until it is.
Kramer
February 9th, 2012
8:16 am
The bottomline is with all this conference shake up going on UGA-UA is not the only rivalry that is gone. Look at Oklahoma-Nebraska for example and Syracuse-Georgetown in basketball. I am sure I missing others for both sports. Not good in my opinion.
GT Dude
February 9th, 2012
8:43 am
would hate to see this happen; it was sad for the GT faithful when Auburn was replaced on our schedule as perennial opponent
Hope it works out for tradition’s sake
crusher dawg
February 9th, 2012
8:45 am
Personally I would rather play Auburn than Tech. They are a better program and would make things more challenging. In the long run it would make UGA a better team. And when you think of Tennessee-Alabama, when was the last time that the game was even interesting.
bulldogbubba
February 9th, 2012
8:50 am
It’s all about the “money” honey. Plain and simple.Tv and money are now in charge.Tradition is now a dirty word.I say GO DOGS and WAR EAGLE!!!!
flagboy?
February 9th, 2012
8:53 am
. . why is anyone wasting time typing about anything regarding the ACC and this article? Comparing the SEC and the ACC, especially the ACC going through a 7-8 year stretch when even Miami and FSU are down, is laughable.
I hope the SEC finds a way to keep the UGA-auburn game going. If not, this realignment stuff, trying to keep up (?) with other conferences, (remind me why we’re trying to do that again? TV money?) will be the first mistake made by the conference in some time.
TallaDawg
February 9th, 2012
8:54 am
God forbid that the college money grubbers sacrifice a Buffalo or Ga So. game instead. When money is the top priority in everything, QUALITY is lost.
McDawg
February 9th, 2012
9:03 am
everyone should let Adams and the SEC know how they feel
bill mann
February 9th, 2012
9:10 am
as a paying customer and UGA fan, would rather pay my money to see a competitive game against auburn(and maybe a loss) than to see these garbage 56-3 drubbings against the likes of buffalo and ga. southern etc..greg mcgarity you are rapidly losing me as a lifelong season ticket holder