Pigskin Professor: Breaking down the SEC schedule
By Tom Dienhart - The Sporting News
With no playoff, schedules play a huge role in college football. As SEC commish Roy Kramer likes to say, each weekend is a playoff. And he's right in many ways. With that, I examine and rate the schedules in the SEC. Fellow BCS leagues -- Big Ten, Big East, Pac-10, Big 12, ACC -- are to follow in ensuing weeks, so stay tuned.
RATING THE SEC
SCHEDULES
TOUGHEST
1. Alabama: This menu could get more taxing if the Tide adds a season-ending trip to Hawaii, which would serve as a de facto bowl game for the probation-shackled Tide. But Coach Fran knows this is a two-game schedule: at Tennessee and vs. Auburn. He can lose all the others.
2. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs likely will have to find a way to split their last four games in hopes of going bowling: at Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, at Mississippi. And let's see if Mississippi State can beat Troy State this year.
3. Auburn: The Tigers open the season with four games in 18 days. That's an average of less than five days prep time per contest. After that comes games at home vs. Syracuse, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia and trips to Florida, Ole Miss and Alabama.
4. LSU: A season-opening win at Virginia Tech could spell a fast start, as the next four games are at home and all very winnable -- The Citadel, Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, Louisiana-Lafayette.
5. Florida: The pacing of the schedule is good, as there are no murderous stretches. Games at Tennessee and Florida State, and a visit from Miami (Fla.), would have been too much for even Steve Spurrier.
6. South Carolina: November is the make-or-break month. It starts with home games vs. Tennessee and Arkansas and ends with trips to Florida and Clemson. A visit to Virginia is a no-win situation the Gamecocks shouldn't be in.
7. Vanderbilt: It could be a quick start to a long season with three of the first four games on the road. And the one home game is vs. Furman, new coach Bobby Johnson's old school. Don't think the Paladins won't be stoked. At least Vandy is playing seven home games for the first time since 1950.
8. Kentucky: At least the 'Cats are guaranteed games vs. Indiana and Vanderbilt each year. Few schools have three tougher road games than UK's trio of Louisville, Florida and Tennessee.
9. Mississippi: The last six games will tell the tale of the Rebels, as they play four of those on the road -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU. The home games are rugged, too, with Auburn and Mississippi State visiting over that stretch.
10. Georgia: The slate opens (vs. Clemson; at South Carolina) and closes (at Auburn; vs. Georgia Tech) with a bang. In between, there are dynamite games with Alabama (road), Tennessee (home) and Florida (neutral).
11. Arkansas: The scheduling gods have blessed the Hogs with something no other SEC team has: eight home games. Can you say, "Woooooooo, Pig! Sooie!"? And all you need to know about the non-conference schedule is a visit from Boise State is the toughest test.
12. Tennessee: The Vols have to leave the state only three times to play -- Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi State. The first five all are in the Volunteer State, including a visit from Florida. All of that home cooking could make Phillip Fulmer heftier and happier.
TOUGHEST NON-CONFERENCE
1. Florida: UAB, Miami (Fla.), Ohio, at Florida State
2. Auburn: at USC, Western Carolina, Syracuse, Louisiana-Monroe
3. Alabama: Middle Tennessee State, at Oklahoma, North Texas, Southern Miss
4. Georgia: Clemson, Northwestern State, New Mexico State, Georgia Tech
5. South Carolina: New Mexico State, at Virginia, Temple, at Clemson
6. LSU: at Virginia Tech, The Citadel, Miami (Ohio), Louisiana-Lafayette
7. Mississippi State: at Oregon, Jacksonville State, Troy State, at Memphis
8. Tennessee: Wyoming, Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers, Miami (Fla.)
9. Kentucky: at Louisville, UTEP, Indiana, Middle Tennessee State
10. Mississippi: Louisiana-Monroe, Memphis, at Texas Tech, Arkansas State
11. Vanderbilt: at Georgia Tech, Furman, Middle Tennessee State, Connecticut
12. Arkansas: Boise State, South Florida, Troy State, Louisiana-Lafayette
TOUGHEST CONFERENCE HOME
1. Vanderbilt: South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee
2. South Carolina: Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Arkansas
3. Alabama: Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Auburn
4. LSU: Mississippi State, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi
5. Mississippi State: Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas
6. Tennessee: Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky
7. Florida: Kentucky, LSU, Auburn, South Carolina
8. Kentucky: South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, Vanderbilt
9. Auburn: Vanderbilt, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia
10. Mississippi: Vanderbilt, Florida, Auburn, Mississippi State
11. Arkansas: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, LSU
12. Georgia: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida (at Jacksonville), Mississippi
TOUGHEST CONFERENCE ROAD
1. Arkansas: Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi State
2. Mississippi State: LSU, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi
3. Mississippi: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU
4. Auburn: Mississippi State, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama
5. Kentucky: Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee
6. LSU: Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, Arkansas
7. Alabama: Arkansas, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU
8. Georgia: South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Auburn
9. Vanderbilt: Auburn, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky
10. Florida: Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia (at Jacksonville, Fla.), Vanderbilt
11. Tennessee: Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt
12. South Carolina: Vanderbilt, Kentucky, LSU, Florida
GAMES
BEST NON-CONFERENCE
Some mouth-watering stuff here.
First, Clemson and Georgia renew one of the sport's great rivalries. The schools, which are about an hour's drive apart, last met in 1995. The Tigers haven't won in Athens since 1986 and have lost the last three in the series. ...
Miami and Florida meet for the first time in the regular season since 1987 with the series tied 25-25. ...
Miami also is playing Tennessee for the first time since getting waxed by the Vols, 35-7, in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. ...
Southern Miss doesn't fear Alabama, as it beat the Tide, 21-0, in 2000. ...
When Oklahoma and Alabama meet, the schools will bring an aggregate 19 national titles to the table: seven for the Sooners and 12 for the Tide. ...
The only time Auburn played in California was 1936, when the Tigers lost, 12-0, to Santa Clara in San Francisco. ...
Florida hasn't won in Tallahassee since 1986. ...
The Ole Miss-Texas Tech tilt will feature one of the best quarterback battles this fall, with the Rebels' Eli Manning facing o ff with the Red Raiders' Kliff Kingsbury.
Aug. 31: Clemson at Georgia, Mississippi State at Oregon
Sept. 1: Auburn at USC, LSU at Virginia Tech
Sept. 7: Alabama at Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.) at Florida, South Carolina at Virginia
Sept. 14: Mississippi at Texas Tech
Sept. 21: Southern Miss at Alabama
Sept. 28: Syracuse at Auburn
Nov. 9: Miami (Fla.) at Tennessee
Nov. 23: South Carolina at Clemson
Nov. 30: Florida at Florida State
WORST NON-CONFERENCE
Several schools are so hungry for wins that they scheduled I-AA teams, including Mississippi State (Jacksonville State), Georgia (Northwestern State), Vanderbilt (Furman), Auburn (Western Carolina) and LSU (The Citadel). A I-AA team has beaten and SEC in recent history. In 1992, The Citadel won at Arkansas.
Aug. 31: New Mexico State at South Carolina, Wyoming vs. Tennessee at Nashville, Tenn., Louisiana-Monroe at Mississippi, UAB at Florida
Sept. 7: Western Carolina at Auburn, The Citadel at LSU, UTEP at Kentucky
Sept. 14: Ohio at Florida, North Texas at Alabama, Jacksonville State at Mississippi State, Indiana at Kentucky
Sept. 21: Northwestern State at Georgia, Temple at South Carolina
Sept. 28: New Mexico State at Georgia, Rutgers at Tennessee
Oct. 5: Louisiana-Lafayette at LSU
Oct. 26: Connecticut at Vanderbilt
Nov. 9: Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn
Nov. 16: Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas
BEST CONFERENCE
Georgia will be gunning for its third consecutive win over Tennessee, which hasn't happened since a four-game run that began in 1973 and ended in 1988 . ...
The Vols are looking for their second win in a row over Florida since 1970-71. ...
The Gators want revenge after losing at Auburn last year. ...
Tennessee has won seven in a row over the Tide. ...
The sparks always fly when former Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville visits his old haunt in Oxford, Miss. ...
The road team has won the last three Iron Bowls.
Sept. 14: Georgia at South Carolina
Sept. 21: Florida at Tennessee
Oct. 12: LSU at Florida, Tennessee at Georgia
Oct. 19: Auburn at Florida, South Carolina at LSU
Oct. 26: LSU at Auburn, Alabama at Tennessee
Nov. 2: Auburn at Mississippi, Tennessee at South Carolina, Florida vs. Georgia at Jacksonville, Fla.
Nov. 16: Georgia at Auburn
Nov. 23: Auburn at Alabama, Mississippi at LSU
WORST CONFERENCE
Vanderbilt hasn't beaten Tennessee since 1982, the last season the Commodores went bowling. Kentucky hasn't topped the Vols since 1984. . . .Kentucky hasn't beaten Florida since 1986, while Vandy is looking for its first win over the Gators since 1988.
Sept. 28: Kentucky at Florida
Oct. 19: Vanderbilt at Georgia
Oct. 26: Georgia at Kentucky
Nov. 2: Kentucky at Mississippi State
Nov. 9: Florida at Vanderbilt
Nov. 16: Vanderbilt at Kentucky
Nov. 23: Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Nov. 30: Kentucky at Tennessee
By Tom Dienhart - The Sporting News
With no playoff, schedules play a huge role in college football. As SEC commish Roy Kramer likes to say, each weekend is a playoff. And he's right in many ways. With that, I examine and rate the schedules in the SEC. Fellow BCS leagues -- Big Ten, Big East, Pac-10, Big 12, ACC -- are to follow in ensuing weeks, so stay tuned.
RATING THE SEC
SCHEDULES
TOUGHEST
1. Alabama: This menu could get more taxing if the Tide adds a season-ending trip to Hawaii, which would serve as a de facto bowl game for the probation-shackled Tide. But Coach Fran knows this is a two-game schedule: at Tennessee and vs. Auburn. He can lose all the others.
2. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs likely will have to find a way to split their last four games in hopes of going bowling: at Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, at Mississippi. And let's see if Mississippi State can beat Troy State this year.
3. Auburn: The Tigers open the season with four games in 18 days. That's an average of less than five days prep time per contest. After that comes games at home vs. Syracuse, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia and trips to Florida, Ole Miss and Alabama.
4. LSU: A season-opening win at Virginia Tech could spell a fast start, as the next four games are at home and all very winnable -- The Citadel, Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, Louisiana-Lafayette.
5. Florida: The pacing of the schedule is good, as there are no murderous stretches. Games at Tennessee and Florida State, and a visit from Miami (Fla.), would have been too much for even Steve Spurrier.
6. South Carolina: November is the make-or-break month. It starts with home games vs. Tennessee and Arkansas and ends with trips to Florida and Clemson. A visit to Virginia is a no-win situation the Gamecocks shouldn't be in.
7. Vanderbilt: It could be a quick start to a long season with three of the first four games on the road. And the one home game is vs. Furman, new coach Bobby Johnson's old school. Don't think the Paladins won't be stoked. At least Vandy is playing seven home games for the first time since 1950.
8. Kentucky: At least the 'Cats are guaranteed games vs. Indiana and Vanderbilt each year. Few schools have three tougher road games than UK's trio of Louisville, Florida and Tennessee.
9. Mississippi: The last six games will tell the tale of the Rebels, as they play four of those on the road -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU. The home games are rugged, too, with Auburn and Mississippi State visiting over that stretch.
10. Georgia: The slate opens (vs. Clemson; at South Carolina) and closes (at Auburn; vs. Georgia Tech) with a bang. In between, there are dynamite games with Alabama (road), Tennessee (home) and Florida (neutral).
11. Arkansas: The scheduling gods have blessed the Hogs with something no other SEC team has: eight home games. Can you say, "Woooooooo, Pig! Sooie!"? And all you need to know about the non-conference schedule is a visit from Boise State is the toughest test.
12. Tennessee: The Vols have to leave the state only three times to play -- Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi State. The first five all are in the Volunteer State, including a visit from Florida. All of that home cooking could make Phillip Fulmer heftier and happier.
TOUGHEST NON-CONFERENCE
1. Florida: UAB, Miami (Fla.), Ohio, at Florida State
2. Auburn: at USC, Western Carolina, Syracuse, Louisiana-Monroe
3. Alabama: Middle Tennessee State, at Oklahoma, North Texas, Southern Miss
4. Georgia: Clemson, Northwestern State, New Mexico State, Georgia Tech
5. South Carolina: New Mexico State, at Virginia, Temple, at Clemson
6. LSU: at Virginia Tech, The Citadel, Miami (Ohio), Louisiana-Lafayette
7. Mississippi State: at Oregon, Jacksonville State, Troy State, at Memphis
8. Tennessee: Wyoming, Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers, Miami (Fla.)
9. Kentucky: at Louisville, UTEP, Indiana, Middle Tennessee State
10. Mississippi: Louisiana-Monroe, Memphis, at Texas Tech, Arkansas State
11. Vanderbilt: at Georgia Tech, Furman, Middle Tennessee State, Connecticut
12. Arkansas: Boise State, South Florida, Troy State, Louisiana-Lafayette
TOUGHEST CONFERENCE HOME
1. Vanderbilt: South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee
2. South Carolina: Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Arkansas
3. Alabama: Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Auburn
4. LSU: Mississippi State, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi
5. Mississippi State: Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas
6. Tennessee: Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky
7. Florida: Kentucky, LSU, Auburn, South Carolina
8. Kentucky: South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, Vanderbilt
9. Auburn: Vanderbilt, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia
10. Mississippi: Vanderbilt, Florida, Auburn, Mississippi State
11. Arkansas: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, LSU
12. Georgia: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida (at Jacksonville), Mississippi
TOUGHEST CONFERENCE ROAD
1. Arkansas: Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi State
2. Mississippi State: LSU, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi
3. Mississippi: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU
4. Auburn: Mississippi State, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama
5. Kentucky: Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee
6. LSU: Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, Arkansas
7. Alabama: Arkansas, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU
8. Georgia: South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Auburn
9. Vanderbilt: Auburn, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky
10. Florida: Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia (at Jacksonville, Fla.), Vanderbilt
11. Tennessee: Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt
12. South Carolina: Vanderbilt, Kentucky, LSU, Florida
GAMES
BEST NON-CONFERENCE
Some mouth-watering stuff here.
First, Clemson and Georgia renew one of the sport's great rivalries. The schools, which are about an hour's drive apart, last met in 1995. The Tigers haven't won in Athens since 1986 and have lost the last three in the series. ...
Miami and Florida meet for the first time in the regular season since 1987 with the series tied 25-25. ...
Miami also is playing Tennessee for the first time since getting waxed by the Vols, 35-7, in the 1986 Sugar Bowl. ...
Southern Miss doesn't fear Alabama, as it beat the Tide, 21-0, in 2000. ...
When Oklahoma and Alabama meet, the schools will bring an aggregate 19 national titles to the table: seven for the Sooners and 12 for the Tide. ...
The only time Auburn played in California was 1936, when the Tigers lost, 12-0, to Santa Clara in San Francisco. ...
Florida hasn't won in Tallahassee since 1986. ...
The Ole Miss-Texas Tech tilt will feature one of the best quarterback battles this fall, with the Rebels' Eli Manning facing o ff with the Red Raiders' Kliff Kingsbury.
Aug. 31: Clemson at Georgia, Mississippi State at Oregon
Sept. 1: Auburn at USC, LSU at Virginia Tech
Sept. 7: Alabama at Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.) at Florida, South Carolina at Virginia
Sept. 14: Mississippi at Texas Tech
Sept. 21: Southern Miss at Alabama
Sept. 28: Syracuse at Auburn
Nov. 9: Miami (Fla.) at Tennessee
Nov. 23: South Carolina at Clemson
Nov. 30: Florida at Florida State
WORST NON-CONFERENCE
Several schools are so hungry for wins that they scheduled I-AA teams, including Mississippi State (Jacksonville State), Georgia (Northwestern State), Vanderbilt (Furman), Auburn (Western Carolina) and LSU (The Citadel). A I-AA team has beaten and SEC in recent history. In 1992, The Citadel won at Arkansas.
Aug. 31: New Mexico State at South Carolina, Wyoming vs. Tennessee at Nashville, Tenn., Louisiana-Monroe at Mississippi, UAB at Florida
Sept. 7: Western Carolina at Auburn, The Citadel at LSU, UTEP at Kentucky
Sept. 14: Ohio at Florida, North Texas at Alabama, Jacksonville State at Mississippi State, Indiana at Kentucky
Sept. 21: Northwestern State at Georgia, Temple at South Carolina
Sept. 28: New Mexico State at Georgia, Rutgers at Tennessee
Oct. 5: Louisiana-Lafayette at LSU
Oct. 26: Connecticut at Vanderbilt
Nov. 9: Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn
Nov. 16: Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas
BEST CONFERENCE
Georgia will be gunning for its third consecutive win over Tennessee, which hasn't happened since a four-game run that began in 1973 and ended in 1988 . ...
The Vols are looking for their second win in a row over Florida since 1970-71. ...
The Gators want revenge after losing at Auburn last year. ...
Tennessee has won seven in a row over the Tide. ...
The sparks always fly when former Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville visits his old haunt in Oxford, Miss. ...
The road team has won the last three Iron Bowls.
Sept. 14: Georgia at South Carolina
Sept. 21: Florida at Tennessee
Oct. 12: LSU at Florida, Tennessee at Georgia
Oct. 19: Auburn at Florida, South Carolina at LSU
Oct. 26: LSU at Auburn, Alabama at Tennessee
Nov. 2: Auburn at Mississippi, Tennessee at South Carolina, Florida vs. Georgia at Jacksonville, Fla.
Nov. 16: Georgia at Auburn
Nov. 23: Auburn at Alabama, Mississippi at LSU
WORST CONFERENCE
Vanderbilt hasn't beaten Tennessee since 1982, the last season the Commodores went bowling. Kentucky hasn't topped the Vols since 1984. . . .Kentucky hasn't beaten Florida since 1986, while Vandy is looking for its first win over the Gators since 1988.
Sept. 28: Kentucky at Florida
Oct. 19: Vanderbilt at Georgia
Oct. 26: Georgia at Kentucky
Nov. 2: Kentucky at Mississippi State
Nov. 9: Florida at Vanderbilt
Nov. 16: Vanderbilt at Kentucky
Nov. 23: Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Nov. 30: Kentucky at Tennessee
