SEC focusing on two football scheduling models, per report

The annual SEC Spring Meetings take place next week in Destin, and one of the many topics up for discussion is a new football scheduling model for when Texas and Oklahoma join the league in 2025. According to Ross Dellenger, the SEC has narrowed the list of possible models from 35 (!) to two: the 1-7 model, an eight-game format where teams play one permanent opponent and seven rotating opponents; and the 3-6 model, a nine-game format where teams play three permanent opponents and six rotating.

Currently, the SEC operates under a 6-1-1 model in which teams play six opponents from their own division and two from the other division, one on a permanent basis (for Kentucky, that’s Mississippi State) and one rotating. With the NCAA announcing that conferences can do away with divisions and two new schools joining the fold, now is the perfect time to switch things up.

Obviously, moving from eight to nine conference games takes away a non-conference game, which teams like Kentucky rely on for an easy win. (In turn, would the future of the Governor’s Cup be in question?) It would also result in some teams having four SEC home games per year while others have five due to the odd number. However, the allure of an extra conference game — and the revenue it would create — may be hard to pass up, especially if the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams. Most significantly, as Dellenger notes, the 3-6 model would protect rivalries and marquee matchups like Alabama vs. Tennessee, Auburn vs. Georgia, and Texas vs. Texas A&M. Big-time teams like those big-time games.

If the SEC moves to the 3-6 model, who would Kentucky’s three permanent opponents be? Dellenger suggests Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Georgia. You can read his reasoning over at Sports Illustrated, or, check KentuckySportsRadio.com tonight to read Adam Luckett’s best guesses. Our resident football guru sat down yesterday and mapped out all of the scenarios for Kentucky with the 3-6 and 1-7 models. Thank goodness because all of this scheduling talk simply makes my head hurt.