Paul Finebaum makes prediction for SEC's decision on new scheduling model

When the SEC coaches and athletic directors converge on Destin at the end of May, they’ll have some decisions to make. The biggest, of course, is what to do with the schedule as the conference gets ready to expand to 16 teams in 2024.

What seemed like a foregone conclusion — a nine-game schedule featuring three permanent opponents — might wind up being a tougher decision, according to SEC Network host Paul Finebaum.

Finebaum discussed the impact of a nine-game schedule on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on Monday. He admitted he thought that’s what the SEC would do until recently, but pointed out what it would mean not only for the teams atop the league, but those in the middle of the pack.

“Until a couple of weeks ago, Greg, I thought it was already done,” Finebaum said. “And then, we all started hearing people talk about it. Apparently, the ADs, they may have met last week or the week before … and there was a lot of pushback. What was interesting is the ADs do not make the final decision. The presidents do. And I’ve heard some certain presidents oppose moving to nine games, but will do it because they understand — and here’s the greater good line coming in — that you need to make that work because as we as we shift to the playoff, for the teams on top and extra conference game is probably not going to be a big deal.

“It’s really, it’s the middle and bottom of the league that’s affected by it. And if you’re an ascending team and you’re trying to get out of the basement, and you need an extra win to get to a bowl game to help lift you off for the next season, you don’t need Alabama showing up on your schedule if your as your ninth game or Georgia or a trip to Baton Rouge or Auburn. I think they’ll get it done … but the fact that we’re still talking about it right smack in the middle of May is truly unbelievable.”

The SEC will increase to 16 teams when Texas and Oklahoma arrive from the Big 12 in 2024 — a year earlier than expected. Those two programs are expected to be at the spring meetings in Destin, and Finebaum said that’s when things will really heat up because everyone will be in the same place.

But the idea of a nine-game schedule, even though it seemed like the direction the SEC would go, met some resistance. Alabama head coach Nick Saban was among the voices to raise concerns about that idea, saying so to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger last month.

It’s one of the many topics on the agenda when the SEC spring meetings start.