Auburn/SEC east

[AU Ivory_dealer 2]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

“Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy,” Spurrier said. “Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won’t count, that’s all.”

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

[AUtigerfan1027 14]

Would love to see us go to the east..back when texas am and Missouri joined I hoped they would both go to the west while we moved to the east wishful thinking back then

[ellitor 33,284]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

[jayb4au 0]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

What does President Gouge have against Auburn moving to the east?

[ellitor 33,284]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

What does President Gouge have against Auburn moving to the east?

Not sure but I have seen him say a couple of times he prefers to stay in the West

[AU Ivory_dealer 2]

Well doesn't PJG retire this year?

[AUDub 11,424]

Personally, I'd love to see us play Florida every year again.

[ellitor 33,284]

Well doesn't PJG retire this year?

Does not matter. Bama and UT are the bigger hurdles. They are not going to let it happen.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

When the SEC added Texas A&M and Missouri, I just knew they would move us to the east and place the 2 new teams in the west. There's no way MO should be in the east in the fist place. We should be.

[ellitor 33,284]

When the SEC added Texas A&M and Missouri, I just knew they would move us to the east and place the 2 new teams in the west. There's no way MO should be in the east in the fist place. We should be.

Agreed but Polotics have say in these things sometimes.

[TerryP 1]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

You've left out the rest of Spurrier's comment here. And I believe it brings up a valid point; possibly the most salient point in the minds of the administrators of the SEC.

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

“Our commissioner seems to think if Alabama-Tennessee is not a conference game, no one will want to watch it,” Spurrier said. “I told him, you think no one wants to watch South Carolina play Clemson? We’ve got North Carolina in the first game of the season; a border rival, our stadium will be full. You think no one will want to watch that?

“If the commissioner doesn’t think that’s a big game, he should come watch it. So there you go, Nick can have his nine (conference) games. I’m all for it.”

Here's where Spurriers comments made me laugh. “I told him, you think no one wants to watch South Carolina play Clemson?"

Let's enter the facts of the matter. The South Carolina vs Clemson game was the featured, prime-time game on Saturday night last year on ESPN. When it comes to how the game fell in TV ratings, more people chose to watch Spongebob the moview versus their ball game. (Nickelodian broadcast.)

NCAA football: South Carolina at Clemson (ESPN): 3.1 million viewers

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (Nickelodeon): 3.2 million viewers

The Bama vs Tennessee game fell in the same time slot last year and was broadcast on the same channel.

College Football: Alabama/Tennessee - ESPN

4.223 million viewers, #1; 1.953 million adults 18-49 (1.5 rating), #1

It carried the number one ranking on cable TV for that evening and when compared to the broadcast channels all four of them combined attracted roughly the same amount of viewers.

Here's where the key is found. While Spurrier and one other school like to point to that game the SEC offices and school administrators are going to look at what it means to the conference as a whole. TV ratings equal TV revenue. You won't find any of these coaches or schools complaining about that revenue check when they receive it each summer.

Now, two questions if I may.

"Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses"

How is it a better situation for Auburn? Tennessee will not remain down as they are now. That move would equate to Auburn now facing three of the "have's" in the SEC—UT, UF, UGA—versus two in the west with UA and LSU.

How do you see the move from one division to another as a potential recruiting bump?

** The UofSC vs UNC kickoff is slated for a 5PM kick on a Thursday night. I'd dare say that the Ole Miss vs Vandy game kicking at 8:15 draws better numbers.

[TheBlueVue 177]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

Its unwise to use "never" when discussing any possible future development. I cant believe that UT and uat have more power between them than the rest of the league put together. Mind you, Im not saying they don't but what I am saying is that those 2 institutions will not be able to indefinitely prevent the wheels of progress from keeping on turning. I definitely think it is possibility at some point, besides, Gogue wont be there forever

[ellitor 33,284]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

Its unwise to use "never" when discussing any possible future development. I cant believe that UT and uat have more power between them than the rest of the league put together. Mind you, Im not saying they don't but what I am saying is that those 2 institutions will not be able to indefinitely prevent the wheels of progress from keeping on turning. I definitely think it is possibility at some point, besides, Gogue wont be there forever

It's not so much Bama and Tennessee have more power than the rest of the schools as it is the rest of the schools don't really care much if Auburn moves to the East or not. If I was an East school though I would not want Auburn in it. It would make the East a good bit tougher to win.

[gilstein21 1]

the recruiting edge people would cry about is that we are playing in/against Florida every year

[AUDub 11,424]

the recruiting edge people would cry about is that we are playing in/against Florida every year

We have a three game win streak against Florida and we lead the series overall.

[gravejd 3,282]

It makes way too much sense to move AU to the east for it ever to happen. I would love it though

[AU-24 3,124]

So our admin is against moving to the East? So instead of fighting for what is best for AU, they want to stay in the West??

I often thought when Satan was against AU moving to the East, "why weren't we fighting tooth and nail for the move!"

I guess now I know why! What a bunch of non qualified people we have running our AD!

[cptau 169]

The UT UAT game has not been much of game for 10 years now. I'm not sure why any of the old East vs West games are valued as they are a leftover from the SEC of 40+ years ago. Only the AU / UGA and UT vs UAT rivalries have any history. The rest were created to help the other 2 exist. Thus the entire SEC schedules around those 2 games? I would gladly drop UGA.

One cross-division rivalry changed. Arkansas, a team that has been paired with USCe since 1992 (20 years) , now plays Missouri, and USCe permanent opponent will be Texas A&M. So much for tradition........

[cjs53 4]

Never happen it makes to much sense.

[AU-24 3,124]

The Turds were also against playing the Iron Bowl in Jordan Hare, and said it would "never" happen.

The problem here seems to be at least impart due to our Pres and AD not fighting every day for an AU move to the East, but as usual they don't have the back bone!

[Auburnfan91 1,408]

I'm so sick of the hypocrites that run college football.

You can forget about tradition, if tradition really mattered then Texas/Texas A&M wouldn't have ended their rivalry. It's all about money. If tradition mattered that much then all this conference realignment wouldn't have happened. I thought the SEC was fine with 12 teams.

I'm tired of hearing the coaches/athletic directors/presidents complain about tradition yet that didn't stop all the conference realignment. We wouldn't even be having a vote for a 9 game conference schedule if the hypocrites in charge cared about tradition in the first place.

I'm with Miles and Spurrier. I'd rather keep an 8 game schedule and drop the cross-division rival. I won't miss playing Georgia every year.

Nick Saban's going to complain about something no matter how much he wins.

Rant over................

[IronMan70 3,315]

I have thought about this a good bit over the last year with the expansion to 14 teams. I thought like most that the most obvious trade would be to switch Auburn and Mizzou but it's not. Any switch needs to keep the balance of the Big6 teams at 3 in each division and then there are the rivalry games. But there IS a solution that does all that and still play 8 SEC games using a 6-1-1 schedule .

The best solution is to swap two Big6 teams, Auburn and Tennessee.

1. It keeps the balance of the Big 6. Auburn, Georgia, Florida in the East and Bama, LSU, Tennessee in the West.

2. It permanently solves the 2 big rivalry games, Auburn-Georgia and Bama-Tennessee.

3. It provides for a continuation, if desired, of Auburn-Alabama and Tennessee-Vandy by use of the 1 permanent cross division rival game. (If it could be worked out, my own preference would be for Auburn to use that slot to play Alabama and Tennessee in alternating years.)

4. It would enable the Auburn-Florida game to resume, which both fan bases loved.

5. It would open up the possibility of an Auburn-Alabama matchup in the SEC Championship game. THAT would be epic.

Notes:

* Alabama and Tennessee are but 2 votes in the SEC. But if their Bama-Tenn game is preserved as well as Auburn-Alabama and Tennessee-Vandy, there is no legitimate reason for them to be against it. If either of them still objected it would be obvious to everyone that there is another agenda and it would be much easier to get other schools to vote in favor of the proposal.

* As long as one Big6 is swapped for the other, Auburn for Tennessee, I think right now that 4 of the Big6 would vote for it. Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Florida and we know South Carolina would join in. There is a possibility that Tennessee might even favor it. That's a lot of momentum to pull in other schools.

* If the state of Alabama was smart (yah,I know) they would put the 2 schools in separate divisions, promote both schools and have the ability to win both SEC division titles for the State. An all State of Alabama SEC Championship game would be something the State can strive for every year. But it would also give the State 2 chances instead of just 1 to get a team to the SECCG every year.

[johnjacob 44]

With talks of SEC meetings and all of its coverage about scheduling it looks like confusion is beginning to take to the media. All the questioning of cross division rivalries has made the subject a hot topic with the Les Miles comments and now Steve Spurrier chimed in:

"Nick Saban wants nine games, well he can have nine and be happy," Spurrier said. "Yep, nine games against conference opponents—but one of them won't count, that's all."

All that stuff just means he and most of the SEC coaches do not care about "their" rivalry with Tenn. AU and uga is a different story but that would all be fixed with a switch between AU and obviously Missouri. Put aside the talk of Ala being pushy because a potential bump in recruiting for AU but a possible better situation for Auburn that just makes'm thumb thr noses.

With all the talk from the SEC being focused on CDR (cross div rivalries) and a conference wide drug policy it makes me believe that the talks of making the SEC geographically sound will linger for a while and not just in the AU community. I would like it and if we keep or cut uat, it doesn't matter to me because we would we see them in the SEC championship a good bit (;

What do you think? Never happen or possible or very possible?

Never happen. Bama and Tennessee will not allow it plus President Gogue does not want it either.

Then maybe Pres. G. can be replaced. AU belongs in the East.

[NCTiger 0]

In my mind it is all about what is best for Auburn and that normally is not good for bama so obviously they fight like hell to maintain an unlevel playing field. I want to be in the East for recruiting reasons, consistent FL coverage, playing FL & TN every year again and travel time b/w most of our AU fan base and stadiums in the East versus the West. I also think we will probably get a little more positive or at the very least more F & B media coverage in in those states. The consistent coverage in FL with Auburn in the East race would be golden. Just like someone mentioned above bama would "not allow" the IB to be played in Auburn until we had an HC/AD with the stones to force equality and put that arrogant big red machine in its place. It amazes me how some of our leaders play right into that "little brother" syndrome and just be good little boys instead of mixing it up. Time to man up !

War Damn Eagle !

[johnjacob 44]

In my mind it is all about what is best for Auburn and that normally is not good for bama so obviously they fight like hell to maintain an unlevel playing field. I want to be in the East for recruiting reasons, consistent FL coverage, playing FL & TN every year again and travel time b/w most of our AU fan base and stadiums in the East versus the West. I also think we will probably get a little more positive or at the very least more F & B media coverage in in those states. The consistent coverage in FL with Auburn in the East race would be golden. Just like someone mentioned above bama would "not allow" the IB to be played in Auburn until we had an HC/AD with the stones to force equality and put that arrogant big red machine in its place. It amazes me how some of our leaders play right into that "little brother" syndrome and just be good little boys instead of mixing it up. Time to man up !

War Damn Eagle !

I agree. Good post. There are also a ton of AU fans down here in FL and the AU/FL game is always a great one.