Shane Beamer sees merits in each as Lane Kiffin says SEC down to two future scheduling options
As the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla. began today, South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer echoed what he said earlier this month: that there are pros and cons to both of the future scheduling formats that the conference seems to be considering.
As has sort of been expected, the conference is essentially down to two models — an eight-game and nine-game slate — for its future conference schedule, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said Tuesday at the SEC coaches meeting, according to On3’s Jesse Simonton.
Beamer did not get into specifics on which format he personally prefers.
“I think we’ve all got our individual opinions and I’ll keep to myself right now,” Beamer said this morning prior to the beginning of the meetings. “I know that’s going to be a big point of discussion for us this afternoon as we have the meetings. And certainly, I see the merit of both of them. There are positives and then some things that maybe aren’t so positive and whatnot. I don’t know if every school is going to be totally happy with the way it finishes up but we’re all team players and we all want to do what’s best for the SEC.”
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The eight-game model would include one permanent opponent each season with the other seven opponents rotating each year. The nine-game model would feature three permanent opponents with the other six opponents rotating each year. It appears that other models, including the possibility of using “pods,” are out.
That could also mean the end of the SEC East and SEC West as commissioner Greg Sankey said the SEC has “focused more on the single division model” rather than the current two-division structure, according to Simonton.
For Beamer’s part, he rightfully points out that the Gamecocks are used to playing a difficult schedule and have been for years.
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“Frankly, we’re in a position already where I don’t know if there’s a school in the country that has a tougher schedule year in, year out than what we face already at South Carolina and the fact that we play in the East with Georgia but our crossover team is Texas A&M right now and then our in-state rival is Clemson,” he continued. “So, either way, you look at our schedule in 2022, the preseason rankings that you guys put out, I would imagine three of those teams are going to be in the top six in the country and that’s been pretty consistent here for a while, so we already face a challenging schedule year in, year out, so whether we’re playing nine conference games or eight it will still be a challenge.
“But I look at it as a positive. We talk about competition in our program all the time. We talk about competing and my mindset and our players’ mindset is we get to go play that schedule, we get to play Clemson each year, we get to play nine SEC teams or eight SEC teams, whatever it may be. So, eager to get in there and discuss it and at the end do what’s best for the SEC.”
Sankey added that he expected a decision sooner rather than later but that it wouldn’t necessarily be this week, according to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger.
Whatever the league decides, the changes won’t go into effect until 2025 when Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC.
