Yesterday, ESPN’s Heather Dinich reported that the College Football Playoff committee would be using new data to better analyze strength of schedule, rewarding teams that beat better teams and reducing the “penalty” for losing to stronger teams.
On cue, the SEC has officially announced a new nine-game conference schedule starting next season. Details:
The SEC will continue with a single standings, non-divisional structure;
Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining many traditional
rivalries;
Each team’s remaining six games will rotate among the remaining conference schools; and
Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years.
SEC teams are required to schedule at least one additional high quality non-conference from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten or Big 12 conferences or Notre Dame each season. The SEC will continue to evaluate its policies to ensure the continued scheduling of high-quality non-conference opponents.
This is going to be great for fans and television networks. And, should the new 16 game format come to fruition with five autobids and 11 at large, which seems to be the most likely route at this stage, it should be great for the SEC as well… as long as the new SOS metrics are properly applied. Just last season, opponent adjusted SP+ had 13 SEC teams among the top 29. Playing a schedule with nine SEC games plus another “Power 4” team will be a huge advantage in the schedule strength department.
Now we wait to see who will be Alabama’s permanent opponents. Under a previous proposal it was reported that the Tide would face Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU annually. There won’t be an easy road no matter how you slice it.
What are your thoughts on the new schedule format?
Roll Tide.
