Jimbo Fisher says the SEC is looking at new scheduling model
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Earlier this year, Florida coach Dan Mullen got the attention of SEC football fans and national media members when he suggested the conference should change its scheduling format to create more frequent cross-division contests. This week, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher joined Mullen in voicing support for a change to the current format. Fisher also shared that the SEC is considering a new model.
“I know they’re looking at some formats going forward that keep the three main and rotate five and all those things,” Fisher said in his weekly press conference. “I think it is good for your players, eventually, to play everybody in the conference. I really do believe that…. When you have conferences as big as you have now, that’s kind of the way it goes.”
Football Scoop’s Zach Barnett, who drew attention to Fisher’s quote with a widely-shared article published on Friday, shared how a 3/5 model (three permanent rivals, five rotating opponents) might work in the case of Texas A&M:
In Texas A&M’s case, the Aggies would get wannabe rival LSU, actual Southwest Conference rival Arkansas and former Big 12 bunk mate Missouri (let’s be honest, the Tigers are on an island in the SEC and need friends). They would then play (for example) Florida, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Auburn and Kentucky in even years and Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Mississippi State in odd ones.
The current model of the six division opponents, one permanent cross-division rival and one rotating cross-division opponent is creating some long waits between games involving teams in different divisions, such as Texas A&M and Georgia. While the Aggies have been in the SEC since 2012, Saturday will be their first time playing UGA as a conference opponent. The Bulldogs are not scheduled to make the trip to College Station until 2024.
Changing the conference schedule and potentially getting rid of divisions could be an exciting development for coaches, players and fans alike.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
