Alabama’s Nick Saban unhappy about proposed perennial rivals under SEC nine-game schedule format
The SEC is expected to undergo major changes before the 2024 season due to Texas and Oklahoma joining the league. When the two former Big 12 schools move, the SEC will implement a new non-division schedule format that will consist of nine games with three perennial contenders per team and six rotations. opponents that appear on a team’s schedule every other year.
Alabama coach Nick Saban favors the nine-game schedule option, but the legendary Crimson Tide coach isn’t happy with what he’s hearing about his team’s perennial rivals.
“I’ve always been an advocate of playing more [conference] Saban told Sports Illustrated. “But if you play more games, I think you have to settle all three [opponents] right. They give us Tennessee, Auburn and LSU. I don’t know how they come to that [decision].”
In fact, those are Alabama’s three biggest rivals. The Iron Bowl between the Crimson Tide and the Tigers is arguably the biggest rivalry in sports, and the Tide’s “Third Saturday in October” game with Tennessee is great for Alabama. It is also the largest annual game on the docket for the Volunteers, which explains why the conference believes it must be preserved. Alabama’s rivalry with LSU is not necessarily as steeped in tradition as the other two, but it has been one of the SEC West’s most important annual games over the past decade and is one of the LSU’s most each season.
The new format is not set in stone yet. Conference administrators held off on making a firm decision last spring at the SEC’s spring meetings in Destin, Florida, but settled on two formats: the 3-6 model above and an eight-game format that keeps one traditional tournament intact and rotates the remaining seven. opponents. Both options mean rotating opponents play each other every other season. Sankey said last month that he hopes the new format will be settled before this year’s spring meeting sessions.
This debate will rage even after a decision is made, especially if the 3-6 model is adopted. Some teams have perennial opponents who are traditionally tough games, while others get favorable “rivalries” that usually lead to better records. That’s just a fact.
Saban is 100% correct; there must be a semblance of fairness. If the SEC is going to eliminate divisions, it must eliminate divisions. Keep the necessary matches and then throw the rest in the hat. If that means a game like LSU-Alabama won’t be played every year, it won’t be the end of the world because they’ll still be playing every other season. That could, in some cases, lead to even more expectations for teams looking for revenge.
