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Football Just pure speculation: Last few weeks of SEC season

NWAHutch

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Apr 30, 2018
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There has been some speculation on here and amongst some national media folks I follow on Twitter that the SEC might take a route similar to the ACC and give Alabama and Florida a week off before playing in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19. That would of course mean Arkansas wouldn't play Alabama and LSU wouldn't play Florida next week.

Sam Pittman was asked about this today on the SEC teleconference and he believes the Arkansas-Alabama game will happen next week, even though it hasn't officially been announced by the SEC. Here's his full quote: "I'll say this, I have no reason to believe we're not going to play them. I've not heard one conversation saying we wouldn't play Alabama."

To me, it would be absolutely ridiculous to do this when the SEC literally built in that open date for this exact reason, to ensure all 14 teams play all 10 games. Plus, the way I see it, it should still be easy for all of the games to happen (assuming there aren't any more postponements)...

Dec. 5 (this Saturday)Dec. 12 (next week)Dec. 19 (day of SECCG)
Texas A&M @ AuburnLSU @ Florida (already tentatively scheduled)Ole Miss @ LSU
Arkansas @ MissouriAuburn @ Mississippi State (already tentatively scheduled)Missouri @ Mississippi State
Florida @ TennesseeAlabama @ ArkansasTexas A&M @ Tennessee (currently slated for Dec. 12, must move to make room for Ole Miss @ Texas A&M that day)
Vanderbilt @ GeorgiaGeorgia @ MissouriSECCG: Alabama vs. Florida
South Carolina @ KentuckyOle Miss @ Texas A&M
Alabama @ LSUTennessee @ Vanderbilt
OPEN: Ole Miss, Mississippi StateOPEN: Kentucky, South Carolina

So if I can figure that out with a simple notepad and pen, then surely the SEC can. But as we've seen, that isn't always the case.

*IF* the SEC decides to take away Arkansas' game with Alabama and LSU's game with Florida to give them an extra week before the SECCG, here are the options I can think of...

1. Arkansas and LSU just get screwed out of a 10th game. The SEC would likely need to cut the Hogs a check to make up for the revenue lost by losing a home game, but they wouldn't get to play a 10th game, which would suck.

2. Arkansas and LSU could play a rematch. However, the Hogs need a home game and those two teams have already played in Fayetteville. A rematch was already pretty unlikely, but that makes it even more unlikely.

3. Give Arkansas and LSU a different 10th opponent by moving around another game scheduled for Dec. 12. The only option I see is the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game, but that is an in-state rivalry, so would the SEC want to nix that? If so, LSU would get Tennessee (Arkansas already played the Vols) and Arkansas would get Vanderbilt. However, the Commodores are supposed to be the home team, so Arkansas or Vanderbilt would be getting screwed out of a fifth home game. Similarily, LSU or Tennessee would be getting a sixth home game.

4. Give Arkansas and LSU a different 10th opponent by adding an extra game to Kentucky and South Carolina's schedule. In this scenario, Arkansas would get South Carolina because LSU has already played the Gamecocks. The Tigers would play Kentucky. However, after this weekend, both of those teams will have already played a full 10-game slate. I heard Mark Stoops talking on the teleconference today about the grind of playing 10 SEC games in 11 weeks. He didn't sound like a guy who'd be willing to play an 11th in 12 weeks. Plus, South Carolina is probably ready to shift its focus to a coaching search.

5. Take the Pac-12's route and allow Arkansas and LSU to schedule a non-conference game for the 12th or 19th. I'm sure BYU or Liberty or even Memphis or someone like that would love to play. However, I would be pretty surprised if the SEC loosened its restrictions on non-conference games at this point of the season.

Again, who knows if any of this actually matters. Just some stuff I've been pondering the last couple of days when I started hearing the rumblings of Arkansas possibly not playing Alabama next week. Thoughts?
 
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