SEC Scheduling

[WinCrimson 61]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

[DKW 86 7,424]

As for Auburn, Mal Moore decreed that we would have a bye week before the Iron Bowl. We wanted to keep it the same as it has been of late and play the week before. CTT fought it for all he was worth.

What was your point again?

[TigerOne 1,142]

here is the answer you want to hear,

it's because every team is in such awe of uat that they need that extra week to get ready.

[AUdmd07 2]

I think it's because everyone is scared of Bama and needs to prepare for those juggernauts.

[WinCrimson 61]

As for Auburn, Mal Moore decreed that we would have a bye week before the Iron Bowl. We wanted to keep it the same as it has been of late and play the week before. CTT fought it for all he was worth.

What was your point again?

The IB is an exception to the rule. You've been playing UGA and we've been playing LSU. You traded them for a bye and we picked up ULM. No difference there. I agree with you.

My point - Why do teams get to coast before they play us? This situation happens to no other team and we're in it every year.

[Guest Frank Burns]

The IB is an exception to the rule. You've been playing UGA and we've been playing LSU. You traded them for a bye and we picked up ULM. No difference there. I agree with you.

My point - Why do teams get to coast before they play us? This situation happens to no other team and we're in it every year.

Tradition.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

It's a conspiracy implemented by NCAA/SEC/Miles Brand/Mike Slive/Phillip Fulmer/ESPN/TSN to keep down.

You've only been following SEC football for 5 years? didn't play a good opponent the week prior to the IB until 2002. Curse that Link

's always had the week prior.

Cry me a river.....

[GalensGhost 0]

I think it's because everyone is scared of Bama and needs to prepare for those juggernauts.

jugs of nuts? Is this like a bag of dicks?

And to you wc, let me quote from Tony Soprano:

"Oh, poor you..."

[BAMMERPERRY 0]

I just noticed I had on my Thursday Hello Kitty panties instead of my Tuesday Baby Bop ones!

[Tiger1992 999]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

For comparision purposes, this is who Auburn's SEC opponents are playing the week before. No byes, but only one of them has a tough game.

MSU - Tulane

Florida - Ole Miss (ok, Ole Miss is SEC, but Florida will beat them like a rented mule)

Vandy - Eastern Michigan

Arkansas - UT-Chattanooga

LSU - Kentucky (see Florida comment above)

Ole Miss - Arkansas (I'll give you that one)

Georgia - Troy

Bama - Lousiana-Monroe

Make you feel any better? Except for Ole Miss, every one of the SEC teams that play us should win (although you never can tell with Missy State) the week before they play us without having to exhaust their depth chart.

[WinCrimson 61]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

It's a conspiracy implemented by NCAA/SEC/Miles Brand/Mike Slive/Phillip Fulmer/ESPN/TSN to keep down.

You've only been following SEC football for 4 years? didn't play a good opponent the week prior to the IB until 2002. Curse that Link

's always had the week prior.

Cry me a river.....

First of all, this isn't JUST about the Iron Bowl. I listed all SEC teams that we play this season and Auburn just happens to be one of them.

Curse that link? Why would I? It proves my point. Mississippi State, if you remember, had some great teams in the late 90's and 2000. When they fell off the map and returned to their normal form after the 2001 season, we picked up Nick Saban and LSU. LSU had been, like MSU, a mediocre team for the past decade. Once they were placed ahead of the Iron Bowl, they won 2 SEC titles and a national championship. We were 1-4 against him. AS for me, I'm for having an off week before we play Auburn or playing a LA-Monroe caliber team. Which is, exactly what will happen. But, again, this isn't a "Who do you play before the Iron Bowl?" discussion. I'm looking at our ENTIRE schedule.

If you don't have a bye before Alabama, you have a Richmond or Western Carolina. Unbelievable.

You've got to ask yourself, "Who's behind this and why?"

[saniflush 0]

You've got to ask yourself, "Who's behind this and why?"

This Guy??????

[WinCrimson 61]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

For comparision purposes, this is who Auburn's SEC opponents are playing the week before. No byes, but only one of them has a tough game.

MSU - Tulane

Florida - Ole Miss (ok, Ole Miss is SEC, but Florida will beat them like a rented mule)

Vandy - Eastern Michigan

Arkansas - UT-Chattanooga

LSU - Kentucky (see Florida comment above)

Ole Miss - Arkansas (I'll give you that one)

Georgia - Troy

Bama - Lousiana-Monroe

Make you feel any better? Except for Ole Miss, every one of the SEC teams that play us should win (although you never can tell with Missy State) the week before they play us without having to exhaust their depth chart.

Tulane beat MSU last year and they'll be playing in NOLA this year.

Florida's lost to Ole Miss the last two games they've met. No, OM is no power. It's still an SEC road game in a place that many have struggled.

LSU goes to Kentucky. Kentucky, the same team that went bowling and returns the league's top passer. Nope. Doesn't count.

I'll give you Georgia, Arkansas, and Vandy. Yet, they are still actually PLAYING the week prior to their AU game. You can tear an ACL against Troy, but you can't against the cozy, Saturday afternoon couch.

[Guest Frank Burns]

Most injuries and accidents occur close to home. And the practice field.

[otterinbham 0]

Most injuries and accidents occur close to home. And the practice field.

Then I guess I better move.

[Tiger1992 999]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

For comparision purposes, this is who Auburn's SEC opponents are playing the week before. No byes, but only one of them has a tough game.

MSU - Tulane

Florida - Ole Miss (ok, Ole Miss is SEC, but Florida will beat them like a rented mule)

Vandy - Eastern Michigan

Arkansas - UT-Chattanooga

LSU - Kentucky (see Florida comment above)

Ole Miss - Arkansas (I'll give you that one)

Georgia - Troy

Bama - Lousiana-Monroe

Make you feel any better? Except for Ole Miss, every one of the SEC teams that play us should win (although you never can tell with Missy State) the week before they play us without having to exhaust their depth chart.

Tulane beat MSU last year and they'll be playing in NOLA this year.

Florida's lost to Ole Miss the last two games they've met. No, OM is no power. It's still an SEC road game in a place that many have struggled.

LSU goes to Kentucky. Kentucky, the same team that went bowling and returns the league's top passer. Nope. Doesn't count.

I'll give you Georgia, Arkansas, and Vandy. Yet, they are still actually PLAYING the week prior to their AU game. You can tear an ACL against Troy, but you can't against the cozy, Saturday afternoon couch.

I grant you that your SEC opponents have an easier time of it the week before they play you than ours do before they play us, I didn't argue that point. But if you think that Florida and LSU don't each win those games by at least 10 points, on the road, then put down whatever you're smoking. Or at least pass it around. I'd put money on those games now in June before the season even starts. I don't care about the last two times Florida played Ole Miss, or if UK brings back Tim Couch to play QB. Florida and LSU should each be good enough to win those games this year with relative ease. And that's taking into account Florida plays Tennessee the week before Ole Miss and LSU plays Florida the week before Kentucky.

I'd say Ole Miss has it the "easiest" in this type of situation. This is who their SEC opponents play the week before they play Ole Miss:

- Vandy - Alabama

- Florida - Tennessee

- Georgia - Alabama

- Alabama - Houston (one of two non-tough games)

- Arkansas - Auburn

- Auburn - LSU

- LSU - La-Tech (second non-tough game)

- MSU - Arkansas

Ole Miss should be playing some pretty beat up SEC teams this year.

[SouthLink02 8]

I am not sticking up for WIN but I do agree I hate when a big rival continues having a week off before they play us.

From 1993 to last year...UF only had one year where they didn't have an off-week against us...the year? 2004...when we beat them.

I don't mind if it happens every now and then but to have it every year is a pain.

But, if I am UGA and have an off-week every year against a big rival and it is working...I want to keep it....so I can see why the schools would want to do it

[GalensGhost 0]

Tulane beat MSU last year and they'll be playing in NOLA this year.

Florida's lost to Ole Miss the last two games they've met. No, OM is no power. It's still an SEC road game in a place that many have struggled.

LSU goes to Kentucky. Kentucky, the same team that went bowling and returns the league's top passer. Nope. Doesn't count.

I'll give you Georgia, Arkansas, and Vandy. Yet, they are still actually PLAYING the week prior to their AU game. You can tear an ACL against Troy, but you can't against the cozy, Saturday afternoon couch.

And again I say:

Oh, POOR YOU...

[AU alum 2]

I think it's because everyone is scared of Bama and needs to prepare for those juggernauts.

No, no - everybody is so scared of $aban, they just don't know what to do. The bye gives them an extra week to put off the inevitable.

[AU alum 2]

You think we might have heard SPUAT's first official excuse of this year - all the teams we play have an off week or a very easy week before they play us, so they can rest up and play at full speed.

[WinCrimson 61]

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too. Thought for the day...

Arkansas- BYE

Auburn- BYE

LSU- BYE

Ole Miss- Louisiana Tech

MSU- BYE

Georgia- Western Carolina

Tennessee- MSU (first time since the Taft administration that they haven't had a BYE)

Vanderbilt- Richmond

FWIW, Florida State has an off-week prior to their date with us, too.

For comparision purposes, this is who Auburn's SEC opponents are playing the week before. No byes, but only one of them has a tough game.

MSU - Tulane

Florida - Ole Miss (ok, Ole Miss is SEC, but Florida will beat them like a rented mule)

Vandy - Eastern Michigan

Arkansas - UT-Chattanooga

LSU - Kentucky (see Florida comment above)

Ole Miss - Arkansas (I'll give you that one)

Georgia - Troy

Bama - Lousiana-Monroe

Make you feel any better? Except for Ole Miss, every one of the SEC teams that play us should win (although you never can tell with Missy State) the week before they play us without having to exhaust their depth chart.

Tulane beat MSU last year and they'll be playing in NOLA this year.

Florida's lost to Ole Miss the last two games they've met. No, OM is no power. It's still an SEC road game in a place that many have struggled.

LSU goes to Kentucky. Kentucky, the same team that went bowling and returns the league's top passer. Nope. Doesn't count.

I'll give you Georgia, Arkansas, and Vandy. Yet, they are still actually PLAYING the week prior to their AU game. You can tear an ACL against Troy, but you can't against the cozy, Saturday afternoon couch.

I grant you that your SEC opponents have an easier time of it the week before they play you than ours do before they play us, I didn't argue that point. But if you think that Florida and LSU don't each win those games by at least 10 points, on the road, then put down whatever you're smoking. Or at least pass it around. I'd put money on those games now in June before the season even starts. I don't care about the last two times Florida played Ole Miss, or if UK brings back Tim Couch to play QB. Florida and LSU should each be good enough to win those games this year with relative ease. And that's taking into account Florida plays Tennessee the week before Ole Miss and LSU plays Florida the week before Kentucky.

Florida, the national champions, went on the road to Vandy last year and won by a touchdown. It took a "Bluegrass Miracle" for LSU to beat a much, much weaker UK in their last trip to Lexington. Auburn beat Ole Miss by 6 in their last trip to Oxford and we won on a last second FG. Road games in the SEC are all out wars 99% of the time. So, no, I can't assure you that UF and LSU will beat UK and Ole Miss by 10+.

BTW, Galen... Am I right or wrong? Elaborate.

[AUChizad 0]

You think we might have heard SPUAT's first official excuse of this year - all the teams we play have an off week or a very easy week before they play us, so they can rest up and play at full speed.

It's like Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow.

Looks like the offseason will be two weeks shorter this year!

[Tiger in Spain 0]

First of all, this isn't JUST about the Iron Bowl. I listed all SEC teams that we play this season and Auburn just happens to be one of them.

Curse that link? Why would I? It proves my point. Mississippi State, if you remember, had some great teams in the late 90's and 2000. When they fell off the map and returned to their normal form after the 2001 season, we picked up Nick Saban and LSU. LSU had been, like MSU, a mediocre team for the past decade. Once they were placed ahead of the Iron Bowl, they won 2 SEC titles and a national championship. We were 1-4 against him. AS for me, I'm for having an off week before we play Auburn or playing a LA-Monroe caliber team. Which is, exactly what will happen. But, again, this isn't a "Who do you play before the Iron Bowl?" discussion. I'm looking at our ENTIRE schedule.

If you don't have a bye before Alabama, you have a Richmond or Western Carolina. Unbelievable.

You've got to ask yourself, "Who's behind this and why?"

That's not what you said. You originally stated:

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too.

I pointed out that Auburn always has Georgia the week before the IB. I remember got all cocky before the game in 2005 and had already written themselves into the MNC game. If I recall correctly, delivered a reality check followed by a butt stomping at the hands of Auburn.

After the IB loss, the bammertards starting complaining that they had to play big bad before the IB and that put them at a disadvantage. They neglected to look at our schedule and notice we played a pretty damn tough opponent ourselves.

Boo hoo. Either cowboy up and play the game, or put on your skirt and take up frisbee.

[WinCrimson 61]

First of all, this isn't JUST about the Iron Bowl. I listed all SEC teams that we play this season and Auburn just happens to be one of them.

Curse that link? Why would I? It proves my point. Mississippi State, if you remember, had some great teams in the late 90's and 2000. When they fell off the map and returned to their normal form after the 2001 season, we picked up Nick Saban and LSU. LSU had been, like MSU, a mediocre team for the past decade. Once they were placed ahead of the Iron Bowl, they won 2 SEC titles and a national championship. We were 1-4 against him. AS for me, I'm for having an off week before we play Auburn or playing a LA-Monroe caliber team. Which is, exactly what will happen. But, again, this isn't a "Who do you play before the Iron Bowl?" discussion. I'm looking at our ENTIRE schedule.

If you don't have a bye before Alabama, you have a Richmond or Western Carolina. Unbelievable.

You've got to ask yourself, "Who's behind this and why?"

That's not what you said. You originally stated:

Why does every team we play either get a bye or play Itawamba Community College before they play Alabama? It's been like this for as long as I started following SEC football, too.

I pointed out that Auburn always has Georgia the week before the IB. I remember got all cocky before the game in 2005 and had already written themselves into the MNC game. If I recall correctly, delivered a reality check followed by a butt stomping at the hands of Auburn.

After the IB loss, the bammertards starting complaining that they had to play big bad before the IB and that put them at a disadvantage. They neglected to look at our schedule and notice we played a pretty damn tough opponent ourselves.

Boo hoo. Either cowboy up and play the game, or put on your skirt and take up frisbee.

It doesn't apply to EVERY situation. I'm sure that a team has played a decent squad before us, once or twice. Auburn has been the exception to the "play the Utopia Gay Boys of San Francisco before Alabama" rule. I recognize that.

With that said, I countered with the fact that we haven't been playing slouches prior to the IB, either. You tried to say that, by my statement, I had only been following SEC football for 4 years. As in, MSU in the late 90's wasn't a strong team. Well, they certainly were. Miss State was much better than LSU in the late 1990's.

Why do you guys always go back to an excuse that I never even heard? We're talking about the 2007 schedules, and you pull up what some idiot on Finebaum had to say on Tuesday before the '05 Iron Bowl. Let me clarify: Nobody is saying that you're not playing a tough opponent in UGA! This discussion was not even about the Iron Bowl until the "Well, we play Georgia before you" line. I recognize that and was not trying to diss AU in any way. In fact, I wasn't even referring to them at all. Wow.

I vouch for the IB date to be the way it is this season, since you obviously have to talk about that one particular game out of 12.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

and you pull up what some idiot on Finebaum had to say on Tuesday before the '05 Iron Bowl

First of all, I live in friggin' Italy. We don't have Finebaum on the radio over here.

MSU had 2 years (98 & 99) when they were really tough, and still beat the living hell out of them in 98 (the year MSU won the west).

Every other year, Georgia plays Florida the week before Auburn. LSU usually plays Florida or another quality opponent the week before Auburn.

There's only 1 team on bama's schedule that I give a crap about, and I could really give a baboons red rear end whether the other 10 or 11 play the Munford High Lions before the bama game. Line up and play ball...don't make excuses.