Right now LSU is scheduled to play projected SEC East Division winner Florida on Dec. 12 while projected SEC West Division winner Alabama isn't scheduled to play anyone. Assuming Florida and Alabama play in the SEC Championship on Dec. 19, Alabama will have a "bye" the week before while Florida will have to play the previous week which is a big advantage to Alabama.

Solutions:

1) Cancel the Florida-LSU game, giving Florida a bye the week before the championship game as well. LSU will then only get eight conference games since they won't get to play Florida or Alabama but might be able to schedule an SEC opponent they missed this season that's open Dec. 12 (Georgia because the only other SEC East opponents they missed this season other than Florida were Kentucky who is scheduled for 10 SEC games and Tennessee who is scheduled to play Texas A&M Dec. 12).

2) Instead of LSU playing Florida on Dec. 12, have them play Alabama instead. Now this gives Florida the advantage for the SEC Championship but maybe the SEC wants Florida to win the game because it helps the SEC get two teams in the College Football Playoff. Also, if LSU had to play only one of Florida or Alabama, the priority should be to the divisional opponent and not the cross-divisional one. Finally, if Florida loses to LSU, their Playoff chances are done. If Alabama loses to LSU but beats Florida, they likely still make the Playoff.

3) Have LSU play Alabama on Dec. 5, keeping LSU-Florida Dec. 12. Then move Alabama-Arkansas to Dec. 12 and Mississippi-LSU to Dec. 19. This way both Alabama and Florida play their full 10 game schedules which gives more TV games to the networks and both play the week before their conference championship game (assuming both make it). Also by forcing both Alabama and Florida to play their full schedules you give them the most # of chances to lose games which helps Georgia and Texas A&M.

Right now, it's just unfair in favor of Alabama. Maybe that's what the SEC wants.

https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2020/11/22...re-the-sec

In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

(11-22-2020 03:56 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

Well, the article website is "Alligator Army" so good chance it is a Florida fan site, LOL.

(11-22-2020 04:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 03:56 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

Well, the article website is "Alligator Army" so good chance it is a Florida fan site, LOL.

Umm, I wrote that article.

There is nothing the CFP committee can do about different conferences playing different number of games this season. But the SEC does have a responsibility to all of its members to insure a level playing field and should do so. Currently it isn't a level playing field when it could be by making changes.

(11-22-2020 05:12 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 04:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 03:56 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

Well, the article website is "Alligator Army" so good chance it is a Florida fan site, LOL.

Umm, I wrote that article.

There is nothing the CFP committee can do about different conferences playing different number of games this season. But the SEC does have a responsibility to all of its members to insure a level playing field and should do so. Currently it isn't a level playing field when it could be by making changes.

Nice, but it was still published at "Alligator Army" so that indicates a Florida POV, and your article definitely has a Florida POV, LOL.

As for recommending changes, I think that first, canceling LSU vs Florida is a non-starter. You don't deprive a team of a chance to play, in this case LSU, just for some notion of "fairness" in a conference title game. That's silly, IMO.

The other solution involves moving a bunch of games, making LSU play *four* games, all rivalry games (TAMU, Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss) after Thanksgiving! LSU didn't do anything to merit this, remember, the LSU- Florida game was postponed because of Gator virus issues, not LSU.

LSU shouldn't be jerked around just so Florida fans feel the SEC CCG is more fair to them.

As someone else said, it's nobody's fault, it's just the pandemic. If Florida is good they will face Alabama in the CCG and win, whether Alabama has a bye week before or not.

(11-22-2020 05:22 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 05:12 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 04:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 03:56 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

Well, the article website is "Alligator Army" so good chance it is a Florida fan site, LOL.

Umm, I wrote that article.

There is nothing the CFP committee can do about different conferences playing different number of games this season. But the SEC does have a responsibility to all of its members to insure a level playing field and should do so. Currently it isn't a level playing field when it could be by making changes.

Nice, but it was still published at "Alligator Army" so that indicates a Florida POV, and your article definitely has a Florida POV, LOL.

As for recommending changes, I think that first, canceling LSU vs Florida is a non-starter. You don't deprive a team of a chance to play, in this case LSU, just for some notion of "fairness" in a conference title game. That's silly, IMO.

The other solution involves moving a bunch of games, making LSU play *four* games, all rivalry games (TAMU, Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss) after Thanksgiving! LSU didn't do anything to merit this, remember, the LSU- Florida game was postponed because of Gator virus issues, not LSU.

LSU shouldn't be jerked around just so Florida fans feel the SEC CCG is more fair to them.

As someone else said, it's nobody's fault, it's just the pandemic. If Florida is good they will face Alabama in the CCG and win, whether Alabama has a bye week before or not.

Then cancel LSU-Mississippi. Unless LSU cares about wins and losses more than money, they'd rather play Alabama than Mississippi if they had a choice.

(11-22-2020 03:45 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Right now LSU is scheduled to play projected SEC East Division winner Florida on Dec. 12 while projected SEC West Division winner Alabama isn't scheduled to play anyone. Assuming Florida and Alabama play in the SEC Championship on Dec. 19, Alabama will have a "bye" the week before while Florida will have to play the previous week which is a big advantage to Alabama.

Solutions:

1) Cancel the Florida-LSU game, giving Florida a bye the week before the championship game as well. LSU will then only get eight conference games since they won't get to play Florida or Alabama but might be able to schedule an SEC opponent they missed this season that's open Dec. 12 (Georgia because the only other SEC East opponents they missed this season other than Florida were Kentucky who is scheduled for 10 SEC games and Tennessee who is scheduled to play Texas A&M Dec. 12).

2) Instead of LSU playing Florida on Dec. 12, have them play Alabama instead. Now this gives Florida the advantage for the SEC Championship but maybe the SEC wants Florida to win the game because it helps the SEC get two teams in the College Football Playoff. Also, if LSU had to play only one of Florida or Alabama, the priority should be to the divisional opponent and not the cross-divisional one. Finally, if Florida loses to LSU, their Playoff chances are done. If Alabama loses to LSU but beats Florida, they likely still make the Playoff.

3) Have LSU play Alabama on Dec. 5, keeping LSU-Florida Dec. 12. Then move Alabama-Arkansas to Dec. 12 and Mississippi-LSU to Dec. 19. This way both Alabama and Florida play their full 10 game schedules which gives more TV games to the networks and both play the week before their conference championship game (assuming both make it). Also by forcing both Alabama and Florida to play their full schedules you give them the most # of chances to lose games which helps Georgia and Texas A&M.

Right now, it's just unfair in favor of Alabama. Maybe that's what the SEC wants.

https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2020/11/22...re-the-sec

Since we have no problem with playing postponed games, and since the conference office remains open to being flexible for the CCG, there is no solution that is necessary. The SEC has a history of settling it's own issues quite amicably and without the help or pontification of anyone outside the conference offices. While we have posters that link their own sites or articles, it remains a peculiarly self serving practice.

Stupid argument. If Alabama has the week off before the championship game, who cares. It’s 2020.

(11-22-2020 05:22 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 05:12 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 04:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 03:56 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  In other words, coronavirus issues created unbalanced SEC schedules and that’s unfair, and if it has to be unfair for any team then it should be unfair to Alabama?

What’s their solution for the CFP? It might be “unfair” that some teams will have played 10+ games and others might have as few as 5-6 games and still be make it.

Speaking of fairness, how do they propose we make a CFP that includes the G5?

That article is a joke.

Well, the article website is "Alligator Army" so good chance it is a Florida fan site, LOL.

Umm, I wrote that article.

There is nothing the CFP committee can do about different conferences playing different number of games this season. But the SEC does have a responsibility to all of its members to insure a level playing field and should do so. Currently it isn't a level playing field when it could be by making changes.

Nice, but it was still published at "Alligator Army" so that indicates a Florida POV, and your article definitely has a Florida POV, LOL.

As for recommending changes, I think that first, canceling LSU vs Florida is a non-starter. You don't deprive a team of a chance to play, in this case LSU, just for some notion of "fairness" in a conference title game. That's silly, IMO.

The other solution involves moving a bunch of games, making LSU play *four* games, all rivalry games (TAMU, Alabama, Florida and Ole Miss) after Thanksgiving! LSU didn't do anything to merit this, remember, the LSU- Florida game was postponed because of Gator virus issues, not LSU.

LSU shouldn't be jerked around just so Florida fans feel the SEC CCG is more fair to them.

As someone else said, it's nobody's fault, it's just the pandemic. If Florida is good they will face Alabama in the CCG and win, whether Alabama has a bye week before or not.

Teams have had open dates before ccgs. Teams have had virtual open dates.

Sounds like Florida is already making excuses for getting blown out.

And should Florida get upset by Kentucky or Tennessee, they will need to beat LSU to win the division.

(11-22-2020 07:40 PM)bullet Wrote:  And should Florida get upset by Kentucky or Tennessee, they will need to beat LSU to win the division.

You can use the same argument if Alabama gets upset by Auburn or Arkansas then.

(11-22-2020 08:04 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 07:40 PM)bullet Wrote:  And should Florida get upset by Kentucky or Tennessee, they will need to beat LSU to win the division.

You can use the same argument if Alabama gets upset by Auburn or Arkansas then.

Alabama is not the one whose fans are whining.

(11-22-2020 08:04 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 07:40 PM)bullet Wrote:  And should Florida get upset by Kentucky or Tennessee, they will need to beat LSU to win the division.

You can use the same argument if Alabama gets upset by Auburn or Arkansas then.

That’s not true. Alabama could lose a game and would still win the SEC West as they own the tiebreaker against Texas A&M. If Texas A&M won out to finish 8-1, they’d need Alabama to lose to both Auburn and Arkansas.

LSU got scared about the number of guys playing. Miss State played Saturday below the min number of players Saturday. LSU was going to lose the game this year and probably get embarrassed by the score. It would hurt their recruiting to get beat that bad to a peer school.

This week in the SEC precedence was set. A game was postponed not because of COVID-19 but "The Tennessee at Vanderbilt game is postponed for the purpose of facilitating the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt at Missouri game. This rescheduling of games allows for the continued opportunity for all 14 teams to play all of its 10 games in the 2020 season."

https://www.secsports.com/article/303753...escheduled

If that is the precedent, surely the SEC should make it a priority that the top teams play all 10 games because divisional championships and the competitive balance of the conference championship game is on the line. Is it really as important that also rans play 10 games?

(11-24-2020 06:12 AM)schmolik Wrote:  This week in the SEC precedence was set. A game was postponed not because of COVID-19 but "The Tennessee at Vanderbilt game is postponed for the purpose of facilitating the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt at Missouri game. This rescheduling of games allows for the continued opportunity for all 14 teams to play all of its 10 games in the 2020 season."

https://www.secsports.com/article/303753...escheduled

If that is the precedent, surely the SEC should make it a priority that the top teams play all 10 games because divisional championships and the competitive balance of the conference championship game is on the line. Is it really as important that also rans play 10 games?

Yes, as the conference is contractually obligated to provide a certain number of games to their media partners.

(11-24-2020 06:12 AM)schmolik Wrote:  This week in the SEC precedence was set. A game was postponed not because of COVID-19 but "The Tennessee at Vanderbilt game is postponed for the purpose of facilitating the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt at Missouri game. This rescheduling of games allows for the continued opportunity for all 14 teams to play all of its 10 games in the 2020 season."

https://www.secsports.com/article/303753...escheduled

If that is the precedent, surely the SEC should make it a priority that the top teams play all 10 games because divisional championships and the competitive balance of the conference championship game is on the line. Is it really as important that also rans play 10 games?

If I were you, I would take heart from this announcement, as it suggests that the SEC is still working on a way to make the LSU vs Alabama game happen, and since Alabama is likely to be in the SEC title game, that game would have to be played before the CCG. I suspect that once Alabama clinches the West, then the LSU - Ole Miss game currently slated for December 5 will be moved to December 19, Alabama vs LSU will be played December 5, and Alabama vs Arkansas (currently also at December 5) will move to December 12, thus making you and whiny Gator fans happy.

But even if it doesn't, I am astonished that anyone would suggest that some team X loses a game off of its season so that some team Y feels it has a "competitive balance" or whatever playing in its CCG. That IMO is nutso on its own terms, and, as Kaplony mentions, hurts the conference media inventory as well.

You see in the NFL divisional round the team with a bye the week before sometimes looks sluggish and slow compared to the team who played the week before so maybe the Alabama bye actually helps Florida.

Well what do you know, I might have been on to something all along!

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-sec-pla...17335.html
https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2020/...-week.html

(11-27-2020 01:12 PM)schmolik Wrote:  Well what do you know, I might have been on to something all along!

LOL ..... Look back to my post of three days ago, when they postponed Tennessee vs Vanderbilt. I told you to take heart from that, as the SEC expressed a desire to do what it can to allow every team to play 10 games, and if Alabama wins the West the only way that can happen is if Alabama plays on December 12th. I also specifically mentioned Alabama vs LSU on the 5th and moving Alabama vs Arkansas to 12th as the way they can do that.

So yes, assuming the SEC games go off as planned tomorrow, expect the changes to be made. But it will not be because of some desire for "fairness" to Florida, but rather the conference desire for every school to have the chance to play a 10 game schedule.