This column is an opinion piece.
This had been developing for years.
The SEC’s decision to play nine conference football games was the result of lengthy deliberations, arguments, and delays.
In 2013, Nick Saban was the only person advocating for it. He became a media personality twelve years later, and the league eventually agreed with his idea.
With what seemed like an impossible vote of presidents and chancellors, the SEC moved to nine on Thursday.
We may now discuss why they did it all day.
The cash.
the playoffs.
the dispute with the Big Ten on the playoffs’ future and the money they would split.
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It becomes less utopian if you go too deeply into the decision makers’ motivations, so let’s just remain in Oz for a little while longer.
There is a straightforward bottom line that we can all enjoy if we can cut through the bullshit.
These football seasons are going to be more fascinating than ever.
Since no one like watching FCS or Group of Five games anyhow, we can lament the loss of a cash game for those teams later. They damaged the league’s reputation, which in some way gave the Big Ten the right to make fun of them.
Even though the SEC required them to face a power-league school in an eight-game format, their nine-game conference schedule did not force them to play any well-known non-con games.
More significantly, this change maintains rivalry games, whose continued existence as eight games with 16 league members was not assured by the SEC.
Tennessee-Alabama?
Georgia, Auburn?
When the SEC canceled a nine-game scheduling decision two years ago, they were granted a two-year reprieve.
Although the Iron Bowl was never in danger, it is sickening to consider Alabama playing at Missouri or Kentucky on a third Saturday in October.
This protects the integrity of rivalries, which are never to be taken lightly. Games like that should never be threatened by a showdown with the Big Ten for pride because it is the foundation of the conference.
With the remaining six games switching between the other schools, the arrangement permits each school to have three permanent opponents. Thus, the exceptional athlete who attends a single school for four years will play for every SEC team during his tenure, both at home and abroad.
Under the previous schedule, that wasn’t the case.
For instance, this autumn will be Alabama’s first trip to Georgia in ten seasons. With games in Athens every four years, they will now play each other every other year.
It’s better that way.
A victory for supporters who will now pay more than ever for conference and national tickets.
The most important thing for all of us to consider when making judgments about who we play and what we do is the fans. due to the fact that they will eventually stop attending the games in favor of watching them on television.
Everyone will then ask, “Why aren’t you attending the games?” Well, we would attend the game if you played someone excellent. That ought to be the first thing to take into account. No one is taking them into account.
Twelve years ago, when he was the only coach advocating for a nine-game SEC schedule, Nick Saban said that. This occurred one year before to the creation of the CFP, which was a four-team playoff.
Given that the SEC and Big Ten were engaged in a heated argument over conference games, this could pave the way for an expansion to 16 teams.
Everyone benefits because ESPN is apparently going to give the cash-strapped athletic directors an additional $5 million annually for adding a ninth game, despite them turning over couch covers to fulfill revenue-sharing responsibilities.
For another SEC Saturday, ticket purchasers shed a Directional Tech.
Additionally, perhaps these Big Ten bozo coaches will stop whining about SEC scheduling.
The SEC finally got this one right after just 12 years.
The Alabama Media Group employs Michael Casagrande as a reporter. You may follow him on Facebook or Twitter at @ByCasagrande.
