AU To SEC East?

[AUpreacherman22 3,888]

Not long ago the East was much better than the West. It will come around again.

UF is in a better position than bama. They are the state school in the most talent rich state in the US. When their time comes around again, they will be very hard to beat.

Uga is in just as good of a position as bama. They have a while before they get there, but when they do, they will be hard to beat (they already are for us).

I don't see UT ever being the team they were in the 90s again, but it's possible.

Vandy and UK will always be doormats, and USC will never be a consistent contender.

[AUcivE09 582]

I would rather have the 2 Mississippi schools than Vandy and KY every year. It would be nice to have FL and TN every year, but then again I am a little too young still to remember much pre-1992 (I was 10) when those were yearly opponents. Personally I like the aTm game and would hate to lose that one. I will never go back to LSU or uat to watch AU play (both places have become pretty violent), but they are 2 of my favorite games.

[DAG 33,997]

We've had this discussion hundreds of times. Everybody says the same things every time. Why not jut wait and see if it happens rather than parroting all these what if scenarios for the 100th time? Links are always required when making those kind of statements that are in the OP.

found some links...NONE of which are remotely credible to any possibility. But that's never stopped some from running with it..

NCAAFootballGossip ‏@NCAAFballGossip 8h8 hours ago

Gus Malzahn thinks there will be talk of SEC realignment: If the SEC decides to realign its divisions for foot... http://foxs.pt/1SBnHXf

College Spun ‏@CollegeSpun 9h9 hours ago

Auburn To The SEC East? Gus Malzahn Thinks There Will Be A "Discussion" About Realignment http://collegespun.c...ignment …

Because this is a football forum based on facts, opinions and hypotheticals, which allows for an outlet for discussion. I know you hate it, being a moderator and all.

[PatBoCamRob 30]

We could drop bama as a yearly opponent and I'd be fine. I don't care if we start winning against them again, I have grown to dislike the fivalry since moving back to Alabama.

This. It's poisonous. It's one thing to have a bitter rivalry. But, it's another thing to have a rival that's bitter; a team that is supported by the uneducated, ignorant, malevolent masses. Killing trees, killing each other. Give me a Florida rivalry. That'd be fun!

[AU-24 3,103]

Move to the East and still play the Updykes every year.

Obviously we are in the West now, and play Thuga ever year, who is in the East.

Make it happen Jay Jacobs......ugh, well, never mind.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

We could drop bama as a yearly opponent and I'd be fine. I don't care if we start winning against them again, I have grown to dislike the fivalry since moving back to Alabama.

I share your same disdain. I could live without the iron bowl.

did you guys grow up outside of Alabama?

Don't worry big fella, AU doesn't have to coincide with Alabama in every single thing it does. It won't melt and the University won't go into the dark ages. I promise. And yes, I have actually had the chance to cross out from the Bama borders. I might do you some good. If anything, we would face them in the SEC Championship game, which is more meaningful anyhow. I am looking at what is best for AU, here.

First: Easy "big fella", I was born and raised in Georgia. Second: The rivalry has been around since anyone on this board was alive (including Golf), it's one of the most storied rivalries in all of college football, if not the most. We don't have to coincide with UAT in everything we do, but we also don't need to consider dropping a rivalry that means a ton to both universities and the whole state.

[Win4AU 4,054]

East Schools have much better cities to visit for away games than the West. Athens, Gainesville, Knoxville, Lexington, Nashville > Tuscaloosa, Baton Rogue, College Station, Oxford

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

Apparently there will be talk about reallignment at the next SEC meeting but I don't expect they get anywhere.

Better chance of AU adding 100K seats to JH than moving to the SEC East.

[ToomersStreet 795]

We could drop bama as a yearly opponent and I'd be fine. I don't care if we start winning against them again, I have grown to dislike the fivalry since moving back to Alabama.

I share your same disdain. I could live without the iron bowl.

did you guys grow up outside of Alabama?

They also could do without freedom, apple pie, democracy, and rock n roll

[AU-HANDLEY-TIGER 205]

The only way Auburn moves to the east will be if another team is added that is located further west, maybe Oklahoma is seriously considering leaving the Big 12?

[AUCoop79 1]

Apparently there will be talk about reallignment at the next SEC meeting but I don't expect they get anywhere.

Better chance of AU adding 100K seats to JH than moving to the SEC East.

This cat gets it

[augolf1716 21,213]

Apparently there will be talk about reallignment at the next SEC meeting but I don't expect they get anywhere.

Better chance of AU adding 100K seats to JH than moving to the SEC East.

lol

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,945]

Instead of East and West, we should go Old School (founders of sec) and New School (all the newbies in the SEC) We would need to add a few good teams to the newbies side.

old school...

Auburn, Uga, LSU, bama ,Vandy, UK, Florida, Georgia, MSU, UM, UT

new school...

Ark, USC, TAMU, Mizzou, add: MIAMI, FSU, bring GTech back, Clempson,OU,? ? (maybe an LA Tech or up an coming program.)

May seem unfair to the newbies to have to travel so much, but they should have to earn their way into the SEC not just given a free ride on the SEC coat tail. The founders have played each other since the time when travel was a REAL pain in the butt. If you want to join the SEC, you better be willing to travel around the core of founders. In 100 years we can realign again.

edit: forgot UT

[cptau 169]

Wasn't there another recent rumor of a Big 12 team joining the SEC, specifically from the state of Oklahoma? If so that throws the conference off balance and forces realignments. That would push Auburn and UAT into the East and Missouri back to where they belong in the West. .

No matter what the SEC needs to kill the meaningless standing cross division games played every years. Only the Auburn vs Georgia and UAT vs UT really ever mattered and both have lost their status. If Auburn and UAT move to the East that standing game problem becomes just a regular east division game

[subterranean_jack 112]

The only way Auburn moves to the east will be if another team is added that is located further west, maybe Oklahoma is seriously considering leaving the Big 12?

I've always thought this is a more reasonable alternative than the current situation. If the SEC adds 2 more teams, then there could be 4 divisions and a mini-playoff to name the SEC champion (even more TV money than now). Scheduling and travel issues also become a lot easier. Play the other three teams in your division, then schedule whoever you want-- maybe 2 permanent rivals and 3 rotating match-ups. Old rivalries could easily be renewed, current ones maintained, and new ones started. Schools would get to play the other schools in the SEC more often, not the 8-10-12 year stretch it is now.

Which schools might be invited? No idea. Considerations-- Georgia Tech, Florida State, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Houston, NC State, Miami, Louisville, TCU, Clemson. A good case for inclusion can be made for all of these schools, but I think the strongest possibilities are TCU and NC State.

If Oklahoma wants to join, the SEC will immediately accept, however, the Sooners would probably come with a lot of preconditions. TCU isn't a prima donna like Oklahoma and Houston is too close to Texas A&M. NC State is a similar scenario to Texas A&M, a school that wants to get out from under the fingerprint of the dominant state school, Texas. Clemson and FSU would be a lot more sexy, but I think South Carolina and Florida would likely object.

If expansion is afoot, we won't hear the details until it is a done deal. But here are a couple mock division breakdown. Of course, the geography of the schools added would dictate the make-up of each division.

Division A

LSU

Missouri

Texas A&M

TCU

Division B

Alabama

Arkansas

Mississippi

Miss State

Division C

Auburn

Florida

Georgia

South Carolina

Division D

Kentucky

NC State

Tennessee

Vanderbilt

However, if you want to go with the best football programs, then

Division A

LSU

Missouri

Oklahoma

Texas A&M

Division B

Alabama

Arkansas

Mississippi

Miss State

Division C

Auburn

Florida

Georgia

South Carolina

Division D

Clemson

Kentucky

Tennessee

Vanderbilt

What do you think?

[Eisenhower_1952 87]

Auburn would have to change with Tennessee, not Missouri, for it to work.

[Win4AU 4,054]

The ACC can keep NC State.

[autigeremt 6,646]

I think we should move to the ACC or the Big 12-4 and tell the SEC to kiss our arse. :-\

[keesler 5,924]

Neither AU or UAT are moving East.

[autigeremt 6,646]

Neither AU or UAT are moving East.

I'm siding with you on this one. I just don't see it happening. Too many things in play.

[keesler 5,924]

Neither AU or UAT are moving East.

I'm siding with you on this one. I just don't see it happening. Too many things in play.

There has to be some semblance of balance in both divisions. Why make things easier for UAT or LSU by us moving east? And why give LSU the entire division by both us and UAT moving east?

[CAReeves2010 627]

The only way this would realistically work is if the sec decided on 9 conference games. 6 divisional, 2 permanent cross divisional, and 1 rotational

[DAG 33,997]

We could drop bama as a yearly opponent and I'd be fine. I don't care if we start winning against them again, I have grown to dislike the fivalry since moving back to Alabama.

I share your same disdain. I could live without the iron bowl.

did you guys grow up outside of Alabama?

Don't worry big fella, AU doesn't have to coincide with Alabama in every single thing it does. It won't melt and the University won't go into the dark ages. I promise. And yes, I have actually had the chance to cross out from the Bama borders. I might do you some good. If anything, we would face them in the SEC Championship game, which is more meaningful anyhow. I am looking at what is best for AU, here.

First: Easy "big fella", I was born and raised in Georgia. Second: The rivalry has been around since anyone on this board was alive (including Golf), it's one of the most storied rivalries in all of college football, if not the most. We don't have to coincide with UAT in everything we do, but we also don't need to consider dropping a rivalry that means a ton to both universities and the whole state.

I think it means more to you than most people. It might be an old rivalry, but we have faced UGA and UF more than we have faced Alabama. We have a much meaningful history with TENN than we have with the likes of Arkansas or the Mississippi schools. Like it has already been stated, it is not like we are moving conferences and would be dropping them forever. We would see them in the SEC Championship and partly whenever the schedules coincide with us matching up (Its a good chance we would have to keep them as a permanent rival). I can almost bet that if a poll was taken and AU fans were asked would you rather stay in the SEC west to preserve the iron bowl or move to the SEC east, I believe a good majority would say move to the SEC East. Equally, I imagine many UAT fans would much rather keep UTENN has their permanent cross rival vs AU. Also, AU moving to the east benefits AU a great value and UA knows this. Simply, it gives us a much deeper recruiting advantage (the big obvious). Sorry, If I care about the benefits of AU versus the benefits of both programs.

[JayH4AU 1]

Wouldn't mind the move to the East. But I am 100% for keeping the Iron Bowl. Keep Bama at the end of the schedule and I'm happy with anything else. It's just something I look forward to every year and I feel like an AU football season wouldn't be complete if we didn't play the Iron Bowl. JMO

[AuburnEagle79 2,169]

I always want us to play Bama. When we win they gripe and moan and call us classless. When they win they celebrate like they are getting something besides bologna at the trailer park. Plus I love the look on their face when I ask them which university they attended right after they finish bragging.