The biggest topic at this week's SEC Meetings, will be whether the SEC adopts an 8 game league schedule or a 9 game SEC Schedule.
There had been serious momentum in favor of a 9 game SEC schedule, where each team would keep 3 permeant rivalries and rotated the other 6 games where each team in the league would play one another at homeland away every 4 years.
The 9 game schedule would also mean that the SEC schools would only have 4 SEC home games every other year.
Once the proposed, permanent rivalries started leaking out, teams like Alabama started bucking back on the 9 game schedule.
An 8 game SEC schedule would include only one permanent rivalry game and rotate the other 7 games, where each team would play all other SEC opponents at their home and away at least every 4 years.
The kicker in all of this is that ESPN would not pay the SEC more money to move to a 9 game league schedule.
Here is a column that does a very good job of explaining the pros and cons of each schedule
The conference appears split on a scheduling format ahead of welcoming Texas and Oklahoma and starting a new TV deal with ESPN.
www.si.com
As we have it now, here is where each SEC school reportedly stands on the 9 game league schedule.
- Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina oppose going to nine games
- Alabama/Saban are now leaning to eight
- Auburn, Ole Miss and Tennessee are "on the fence"
- Seven want nine games, including Mizzou and both new additions (Texas & Oklahoma)
- Vanderbilt "has remained silent" on its preference
The 9 game league schedule, once thought to be lock, is losing momentum by the day.
The conference is expected to finalize the scheduling format next week as administrators meet in Florida
www.cbssports.com