Unflattering look at where we stand in the SEC

[18IsTheMan]

In short: we don't matter. Couple of excerpts:

"When comparing both groups, there's little legitimate reasoning for the Gamecocks conference schedule to be set up like this. South Carolina's football program has played Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida a combined 160 times throughout its history. Regarding how many times they've squared off with the Commodores, Tigers, and Aggies, the Gamecocks have played those teams a combined 54 times."

"It's clear that from here on out, the conference will prioritize what their old guard and most historic programs desire"

It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different. Still somewhat humbling to be treated with such disregard after 30+ years in the conference. Hopefully Shane and Ray can prevail upon the powers-that-be to restore some of more traditional geographical matchups.

https://www.si.com/college/southcarolina/football/sec-sends-clear-message-with-2024-conference-schedule-for-south-carolina-football

 

[Maccmaine12]

It would’ve been a lot better if we kept one of the three for 2024. I know those schools have bigger rivals but I felt like we built a rival against those teams as well. I just hope we beat all three so we can have bragging rights for more than a year

 

[18IsTheMan]

Texas got more consideration than we did and they're not even in the conference yet.

 

[Deleted11512]

We are who we are....and will continue to be that until we actually win something. Is it really a surprise that we don't matter in the SEC? I thought we all knew that already.

 

[18IsTheMan]

We are who we are....and will continue to be that until we actually win something. Is it really a surprise that we don't matter in the SEC? I thought we all knew that already.

Well, yeah, like I said in the OP "It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different." The reminder still stinks though.

 

[Big JC]

I'm afraid you are correct, we don't matter and no one should be surprised. After 131 years and 1279 football games, SC is 25 games over .500 overall. We have only played in 24 bowl games and are 10-14 in those bowls. USC has exactly one conference championship in football and that was in the ACC 54 years ago, after which we lost our bowl game to West Virginia. Since we joined the SEC in 1991 we are 106-143 in conference games. Only Miss State, KY and Vanderbilt have lower conference winning percentages than we do. Really, outside of the three years SOS had us winning 11 games a season, we have been a non factor in the conference and, looking back on it, we didn't even win the East those years. There really isn't any reason for the SEC to give too much consideration to what we might want.

By comparison, our biggest rival is 324 games over .500 in 127 years and has been to 50 bowls and is 28-22 in those bowls. Until we start winning something of consequence regularly the gamecocks aren't going to get much love from the powers that be.

 

[Big JC]

Well, yeah, like I said in the OP "It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different." The reminder still stinks though.

Isn't the first step to recovery admitting that you have a problem?

 

[Deleted11512]

Well, yeah, like I said in the OP "It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different." The reminder still stinks though.

True, it does slap you in the face.

 

[18IsTheMan]

True, it does slap you in the face.

Especially when more deference is shown to a team who isn’t even a member yet.

 

[KingWard]

In short: we don't matter. Couple of excerpts:

"When comparing both groups, there's little legitimate reasoning for the Gamecocks conference schedule to be set up like this. South Carolina's football program has played Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida a combined 160 times throughout its history. Regarding how many times they've squared off with the Commodores, Tigers, and Aggies, the Gamecocks have played those teams a combined 54 times."

"It's clear that from here on out, the conference will prioritize what their old guard and most historic programs desire"

It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different. Still somewhat humbling to be treated with such disregard after 30+ years in the conference. Hopefully Shane and Ray can prevail upon the powers-that-be to restore some of more traditional geographical matchups.

https://www.si.com/college/southcarolina/football/sec-sends-clear-message-with-2024-conference-schedule-for-south-carolina-football

You're way ahead of yourself here.

 

[18IsTheMan]

You're way ahead of yourself here.

It’s just a statement of the obvious really. They gave us 0 geographically relevant games and 0 games against the 3 teams against whom we have the most history. I don’t think it was an intentional slight. Just that we don’t matter.

 

[KingWard]

It’s just a statement of the obvious really. They gave us 0 geographically relevant games and 0 games against the 3 teams against whom we have the most history. I don’t think it was an intentional slight. Just that we don’t matter.

Oh, we don't matter. But I'll bet you a steak dinner the next scheduling adjustment will restore SOME of what you think has been lost.

 

[18IsTheMan]

You're way ahead of yourself here.

UT kept every game they care about…Bama, UF and UGA. We kept 0.

 

[Deleted11512]

Oh, we don't matter. But I'll bet you a steak dinner the next scheduling adjustment will restore SOME of what you think has been lost.

Agree here. It’s one year. Let’s see how the subsequent scheduling goes.

 

[Lurker123]

South Carolina's football program has played Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida a combined 160 times throughout its history. Regarding how many times they've squared off with the Commodores, Tigers, and Aggies, the Gamecocks have played those teams a combined 54 times."

It doesn't change the overall argument, but I don't like this comparison.

Since the divisions, we play Florida Georgia and tennesse every year, just like the commodores. And the aggies joined the conference recently. And I'm not sure which Tigers they mean, but they are now in the other division.

We're obviously going to have more games against division opponents than recent conference additions or teams from the other division.

 

[Psycock]

Doesn`t bother me. We don`t know what will happen after 2024. For one year, I don`t mind skipping the 3 East teams to play LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss. We are not one of the original conference members - I`m not sure why anything different was expected. I`m excited to play those teams on our schedule that year.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Texas isn’t even a member yet and they got their 3 geographical rivals. We got 0.

It was either intentionally malicious or total disregard. I don’t think they care enough about us to be intentionally malicious.

 

[DrMickeySC]

So, I read that the plan going forward will likely have everyone switching around so often that teams will play every other team twice every four years. If so, we will get the East back soon enough, and they will lose their rivals next time. I think each team could be granted one permanent pair. But we shall see. That was the supposed plan, and this one is a “one off” year.

Of course, if they view it as a one off, what’s to stop us from playing at Bama two years in a row
But I have a kid who will be a junior at Bama in 2024 so I’m kind of looking forward to that one.

 

[Cocky99]

Because we don’t play UGA,TN and FL in 2024 doesn’t mean it’s goodbye forever. Clemson is our only real rival game. The other 3 are just SEC EAST rivals.

 

[PerchedOnRings]

Doesn`t bother me. We don`t know what will happen after 2024. For one year, I don`t mind skipping the 3 East teams to play LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss. We are not one of the original conference members - I`m not sure why anything different was expected. I`m excited to play those teams on our schedule that year.

This, and beating the teams they are so afraid of. USC’s most-recent successes against Bama & UGA really piss my UT friends off.

 

[KingWard]

Texas isn’t even a member yet and they got their 3 geographical rivals. We got 0.

It was either intentionally malicious or total disregard. I don’t think they care enough about us to be intentionally malicious.

It's a debut season designed to feature showcase games. It's not all that complicated.

 

[Deleted11512]

Because we don’t play UGA,TN and FL in 2024 doesn’t mean it’s goodbye forever. Clemson is our only real rival game. The other 3 are just SEC EAST rivals.

Correct. And none of them view us as a rival. UGA probably has more fans than the other two that do. But they’re more concerned with UF, UT, and AU.

 

[lexgamecock]

Yes we're really second class citizens

 

[Gradstudent]

So we don't have to play Florida, Tenn, and Georgia?

Not playing Georgia is strange, I would like to play them every year, but they are there are at their peak power, so I'm ok with it.

I don't really care about playing Florida, removing that opponent really evokes nothing for me.

I look at this schedule and it could be a good thing, maybe it helps us get back to 10 wins and elevates our status.

This schedule could be a very good thing by the end of the day if it helps us stack more wins . At least we are not playing Georgia, Alabama and Clemson in the same year.

I'm sure I'm in the minority

 

[Thunderstick]

It's a debut season designed to feature showcase games. It's not all that complicated.

Yes, "designed to feature showcase games." The showcase games are probably meant to bolster, in the eyes of the CFP committee, the conference's 8-game schedule vs. a preferred 9-game schedule.

 

[Lurker123]

So we don't have to play Florida, Tenn, and Georgia?

You make a good point, but does the shift make the schedule easier?

Is trading Florida, tenn, and uga for Alabama, lsu and Ole miss an even trade?

 

[Big JC]

You make a good point, but does the shift make the schedule easier?

Is trading Florida, tenn, and uga for Alabama, lsu and Ole miss an even trade?

I'd say it is a -2 in the win column trade. UF and Tenn are much easier outs than Bama and LSU but Ole Miss should be an easier win than uga. The current schedule would probably be a 2-1 record in our favor. The new one will probably be 1-2 the other way.

 

[Gradstudent]

You make a good point, but does the shift make the schedule easier?

Is trading Florida, tenn, and uga for Alabama, lsu and Ole miss an even trade

Hard to say, teams are transitioning up and down so much each year, in this NIL era. We really wont know until the end of 2024 season if this benefitted us our not.

I know in the late 1990's we would of been dancing in the streets, if we had a schedule that did not to play Florida, Tenn and UGA.

 

[Lurker123]

I'd say it is a -2 in the win column trade. UF and Tenn are much easier outs than Bama and LSU but Ole Miss should be an easier win than uga. The current schedule would probably be a 2-1 record in our favor. The new one will probably be 1-2 the other way.

I look at it like this. Alabama and uga could be a wash. Tenn and LSU the same. Then you have Ole miss and Florida. I've seen some say Florida won't even be a bowl team this year, making me wonder if they are a wash, or Ole miss might be harder.

 

[Deleted11512]

I look at it like this. Alabama and uga could be a wash. Tenn and LSU the same. Then you have Ole miss and Florida. I've seen some say Florida won't even be a bowl team this year, making me wonder if they are a wash, or Ole miss might be harder.

The portal makes it damn near impossible to look out further than this year. Teams can look so much different year to year now...see TCU.

We were picking up Bama anyway in 2024. So we would have had to deal with Bama & UGA. The schedule is much better than what it was supposed to be.

 

[Lurker123]

We were picking up Bama anyway in 2024. So we would have had to deal with Bama & UGA. The schedule is much better than what it was supposed to be.

So we're picking up OU instead of uga then?

I would put UT/LSU and Ole miss/Florida at best a wash. Leaving a downgrade from uga to OU.

 

[Deleted11512]

So we're picking up OU instead of uga then?

I would put UT/LSU and Ole miss/Florida at best a wash. Leaving a downgrade from uga to OU.

Yep.

 

[KingWard]

Yes, "designed to feature showcase games." The showcase games are probably meant to bolster, in the eyes of the CFP committee, the conference's 8-game schedule vs. a preferred 9-game schedule.

I think that it's a special situation being handled in a special way. If not, it's going to be crazy every year, with a huge amount of canabalization.

I still think the league will need to offer more inventory if it wants more TV money in the future. That has to mean more games.

 

[Carolina Doc]

Agree here. It’s one year. Let’s see how the subsequent scheduling goes.

That's right. This schedule is just one year. It's not like we will never play UGA,Tenn,Fla again. The plan is for each team to play every other team home and home every four years. It basically should work out to be basically the same for everyone.

 

[Surfcock]

In short: we don't matter. Couple of excerpts:

"When comparing both groups, there's little legitimate reasoning for the Gamecocks conference schedule to be set up like this. South Carolina's football program has played Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida a combined 160 times throughout its history. Regarding how many times they've squared off with the Commodores, Tigers, and Aggies, the Gamecocks have played those teams a combined 54 times."

"It's clear that from here on out, the conference will prioritize what their old guard and most historic programs desire"

It's not surprising and I don't think any of expected anything much different. Still somewhat humbling to be treated with such disregard after 30+ years in the conference. Hopefully Shane and Ray can prevail upon the powers-that-be to restore some of more traditional geographical matchups.

https://www.si.com/college/southcarolina/football/sec-sends-clear-message-with-2024-conference-schedule-for-south-carolina-football

I’m not shocked. We’ve always been on the short side of the scheduling stick.

For years our Open Date was the week before the Clemson game. 10 weeks straight of no breaks and rest. In comparison several teams, usually the old guard, received two. The majority of the time those teams break came the week prior to playing us. I’m sure some of the older crew on here will remember this.

The old guard with the Open Date schedule also received some longer breaks in playing harder division opponents. Example is UGA vs Bama, there are several years where home / home games weren’t played.

In the end, I’m not shocked when it comes to scheduling. I would have liked to have retained one or two of the upper East opponents. On the other hand, it makes us look good because those #%*£ don’t want to have an L on their record from us.

At the end of the day, take the swig of bourbon , slam it down, go kick some *** and prove these guys wrong

 

[Prestonyte]

Look at it as something different, new and exciting for a year and then it'll revert back and begin to look like a resemblance of the same old thing.

 

[KingWard]

UT kept every game they care about…Bama, UF and UGA. We kept 0.

Because games featuring them and those other teams have greater marquee potential than us and any of them. You haven't been paying attention.

 

[Begonenow]

Win anyway! If we do, we will gain leverage.

 

[gamecock stock]

Win anyway! If we do, we will gain leverage.

If we become an annual Top 20 program, we won't be disrespected. A comes before B. Winning comes before respect.

 

[VZVZ]

Texas got more consideration than we did and they're not even in the conference yet.

I’m an Ag. You won’t like having them in conference. Many many schools have left conferences they were in. It isn’t a coincidence.