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USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia could be kept in smaller SEC schedule
Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia could be kept in smaller SEC schedule Show Caption Hide Caption Kirby Smart on college football's future Kirby Smart urges leaders to prioritize the game's future over personal or conference agendas in playoff talks. MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Light the cigars, folks, and score a noteworthy step toward the preservation of SEC rivalry games. A longstanding discussion point around SEC circles has been that, unless the conference moves to a nine-game conference schedule, prominent secondary rivalry games like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia could fall off the annual schedule. But, there's a conference schedule model on the table that would preserve multiple annual rivalry games for at least some SEC schools, even within an eight-game conference schedule format. Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia and Texas-Texas A&M are among the rivalry games that could be preserved within a continued eight-game format. The rivalry games for those teams would come in addition to other rivalries like the Iron Bowl, Florida-Georgia and Oklahoma-Texas. 'We're attentive to real, key rivalries, and we have (eight-game) models that can accommodate those,' SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said Tuesday. The conference eliminated divisions after expanding to 16 teams with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. That prompted a renewed look at schedule format and rivalry preservation. Debate on the SEC's schedule continues among stakeholders this week at the conference's spring meetings. Two years ago, the conference considered two primary schedule models: An eight-game model that would preserve only one rival per team; or, a nine-game model that would earmark three annual rivals per team. The nine-game model would have assured Alabama would keep playing the Iron Bowl and the 'Third Saturday in October' game against Tennessee, after which the victorious team lights cigars. For Georgia, the nine-game model would mean continuing to play Florida every year, but also keeping alive the 'Deep South's Oldest Rivalry' against Auburn. OPINION: SEC football schedule expansion is slam dunk, but isn't that simple The SEC voted in 2023 to retain an eight-game conference schedule for two years. But, the conference devised the eight-game lineup so that it kept key secondary rivalries like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee on the schedule. Now, the SEC's schedule is up for review again. The SEC has not voted on a schedule format for 2026 and beyond. So, will it be eight or nine games? No verdict yet. But, even if it stays at eight, that doesn't mean Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia or Texas-Texas A&M must go on the chopping block. Sankey made that clear Tuesday. Sankey wouldn't commit to every SEC team being assigned two rivals within an eight-game schedule model, but keeping multiple rivalry games alive is an option for certain teams. 'We have ideas,' Sankey said. Sankey would not commit to a timeline on when the SEC will vote on its schedule format for 2026. One item affecting that decision: The College Football Playoff format for 2026 has not been approved. Multiple athletics directors and coaches expressed reluctance to determine a conference schedule model before the future CFP format is decided. And, in fact, Sankey said the future playoff format might not be finalized until several months from now. The uncertain nature of the CFP 'is a bit of an inconvenient reality, but that's reality,' Sankey said. Sankey, at least, sounded open to the SEC deciding the conference's 2026 schedule format before the playoff format is hammered out. 'You can make decisions about what you can control,' like the conference's schedule, Sankey said, 'and then you can have influence over' the playoff format. One element within the SEC's control: Whether to retain primary rivalry games, plus at least some secondary rivalry games. And Sankey made clear that multiple avenues remain to retain some prominent secondary rivalries. 'The conversation about annual games that need to be played has been a focus' for several years, Sankey said. That's encouraging news for those wanting to smell the cigar smoke every year after the 'Third Saturday in October,' or those who want to see Auburn and Georgia continue a rivalry that dates to 1892. The rivalries continued throughout the conference's division era, even though those rivals were in opposite divisions. Even as the conference swelled to 12 teams, then to 14, and now at 16, Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee have remained a fixture of the SEC's schedule in every season since World War II. 'We've presented (a model) to protect those in an eight-game schedule, going forward," Sankey said. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does Auburn-Alabama rank among the best rivalries in the SEC?
Where does Auburn-Alabama rank among the best rivalries in the SEC? Does USA TODAY Sports feel that the Iron Bowl is the best rivalry in the SEC? College football fans from the state of Alabama would agree that the annual Iron Bowl between Auburn and Alabama is the best rivalry not only in the SEC, but in all of college football. Does one expert from USA TODAY Sports agree? With the discussion of the SEC's possible move from eight conference games to nine, USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer shared his ranking of the SEC's top rivalries and how likely they are to continue should the SEC change its scheduling format. Toppmeyer places the Iron Bowl in a category with the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State and the Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas as "non-negotioables" and feels that those three rivalries are safe from elimination. Not only does Toppmeyer feel strongly that the Iron Bowl should not be touched with possible expansion, but he feels that it is the conference's best rivalry. He puts the Iron Bowl at No. 1 ahead of Red River, the Egg Bowl, and the World's Largest Cocktail Party, citing implications that are usually at stake when the Tigers and Tide meet on the field. Instate rivalries hit differently, especially when that state is football-crazed Alabama. As an Auburn fan once said, the Iron Bowl isn't life or death. It's much bigger than that. There been national title implications and memorable moments that serve to add to the lore. There are only four SEC rivalries that feature instate teams. Auburn-Alabama and Ole Miss-Mississippi State have been the most intense over the years, with Texas-Texas A&M becoming prominent with the Longhorns joining the conference last year. However, the Iron Bowl takes the cake as far as the magnitude of games it has produced in past years. The 2010 game was special as Auburn stormed back from 24-point deficit to knock off Alabama and keep its national title hopes alive, Auburn won the 2013 game thanks to the infamous "kick six" return, and the Tigers knocked off their second No. 1 team in three weeks when it beat Alabama in 2017. On the opposite end, Alabama snuck away from Auburn in 2009 to stay alive in the SEC title hunt, and used the "grave digger" play to beat Auburn in 2023 with a hail mary on 4th and 31. The game has produced several special memories such as the four-overtime game in 2022 and the 2014 game that saw both teams combine to post 1,169 total yards in Alabama's 55-44 win over Auburn. The Crimson Tide has won five games in a row over Auburn during the Tigers' rebuilding phase. However, Hugh Freeze hopes to begin closing the gap this season when the two teams meet at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 29. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The 10 best SEC football rivalries ranked as conference schedule expansion is up for debate
The SEC cares so deeply for its rivalries that it once built its interdivisional schedule model around preserving the Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee games. And those matchups don't even rank as the No. 1 rivalry for those schools. Then, the SEC built an eight-game conference schedule model for the 2024 and 2025 seasons that retained primary and prominent secondary rivalries after the conference expanded to 16 teams. Advertisement The two-year schedule format to accommodate Oklahoma and Texas joining the league served as a stop gap while conference brass continued to mull a long-term schedule plan. SEC officials have, for years, debated increasing from an eight- to a nine-game conference schedule. The league membership consistently decided to stay at eight. The SEC must soon consider that age-old question again, with a scheduling solution needed for 2026 and beyond. Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond (17) scores the game-winning touchdown against Auburn during their 2023 game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The SEC spring meetings, which begin May 27, offer a stage for the schedule debate to revive. Oklahoma and Texas could help tip the vote to approve expansion. The rivalry tentacle attaches to the debate. A nine-game conference schedule offers avenues to annually retain not only primary rivalries, but also secondary rivalry games. Continuing with an eight-game schedule probably would mean dialing back secondary rivalries that the SEC steadfastly protected for so long. Advertisement Some matchups like the Iron Bowl, Egg Bowl and Red River are non-negotiable. They're going nowhere, no matter the format. The importance of other rivalries varies based on factors such as your age, where you're from, and the extent to which history matters to you. Here's how I rate the conference's 10 best rivalries, some of which likely would go on the chopping block if the eight-game schedule persists in perpetuity. 1. Alabama-Auburn (Iron Bowl) Instate rivalries hit differently, especially when that state is football-crazed Alabama. As an Auburn fan once said, the Iron Bowl isn't life or death. It's much bigger than that. There been national title implications and memorable moments that serve to add to the lore. 2. Oklahoma-Texas (Red River) When the SEC added Oklahoma and Texas, the conference didn't just gain two iconic brands, it acquired one of college football's best rivalries. Most games are better when played on college campuses, but this one at the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas stands as an exception to that rule. 3. Mississippi-Mississippi State (Egg Bowl) Mississippians' chosen side in this rivalry points not just to their allegiance, but to their identity. Opposing sides don't just dislike each other. They despise each other. This rivalry often features a dash of zaniness. When Ole Miss won the game in 1926, fans of both teams stormed the field. Rebels fans went for the goal posts, and Mississippi State (then Mississippi A&M) fans rushed to fight Ole Miss fans. 4. Florida-Georgia This rivalry touts its own hall of fame dedicated to the series. The longtime designation of this rivalry as 'The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party' sums up the vibe for this game played in Jacksonville, Florida. 5. Texas-Texas A&M Thanksgiving week felt incomplete during the 12 seasons this rivalry went dormant after the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC. The SEC's addition of Texas rekindled the series. This game packs its stiffest punch when scheduled for Black Friday, like it is this year. The Texas fight song and the Aggie War Hymn each includes a line needling their in-state rival. 6. Alabama-LSU LSU counts as many rivals as any SEC team, but none is more collectively hated than Alabama. You can thank Nick Saban (and copious amounts of liquor in Louisiana) for that. LSU fans even burned Saban in effigy in 2008. Vitriol for Saban aside, this game became one of the nation's most influential clashes throughout the 2010s. 7. Auburn-Georgia As the 'Deep South's Oldest Rivalry,' no SEC series touts more history. Georgia's stretch of 11 victories in the past 12 matchups dulled the luster of a series that once delivered such thrills as the 'Prayer at Jordan-Hare.' Throughout its history, this ranks as one of the SEC's most evenly matched rivalries. 8. Alabama-Tennessee Saban's dominance took some shine off this series, but the Vols renewed vigor to 'The Third Saturday in October' after they upset Alabama in 2022, then tore down the goal posts and baptized them in the river. This rivalry features a distinct smell. When cigar smoke wafts through the stadium, you know the outcome has been decided. 9. LSU-Mississippi (Magnolia Bowl) The rivalry that supplied Billy Cannon's Halloween run and 'The Night the Clock Stopped' found its peak stride the past few seasons. Fans from the winning side stormed the field in each of the past three years. This rivalry is not as heated as some others, but its games usually supply rich entertainment value. 10. Florida-Tennessee This rivalry lacks the tradition of others, but at its crescendo in the 1990s and early 2000s, this September clash charted the course for SEC supremacy. The game peaked when it pitted Steve Spurrier against Phillip Fulmer, but, even now, animosity lingers between these fan bases. Advertisement Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ Follow him on X @btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC football's rivalries ranked as schedule expansion debate looms
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where does OU-Texas rank among best rivalries in the SEC?
Where does OU-Texas rank among best rivalries in the SEC? The SEC is home to some of the best rivalries in college football. The Red River Showdown, the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl, the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and the Battle of the Boot between LSU and Arkansas. Rivalry weekends take the sport to a different level. So which rivalries are the best in the SEC? Blake Toppemeyer of USA TODAY Sports ranked the top 10 rivalries in the conference, and OU-Texas came in at No. 2 on the list. When the SEC added Oklahoma and Texas, the conference didn't just gain two iconic brands, it acquired one of college football's best rivalries. Most games are better when played on college campuses, but this one at the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas stands as an exception to that rule. - Toppemeyer, USA TODAY Sports OU-Texas is a one-of-a-kind rivalry game. The 50-50 split, the State Fair of Texas, and the 120 games in its history make it one of the more storied rivalries in the sport. While the Iron Bowl may have taken the top spot on Toppemeyer's list and is a fantastic rivalry game in its own right, it's been played 31 fewer times, and there was a 41-year gap in the game. Auburn's struggled to have a foothold on the game over the last decade and half. The Tigers have only won four times since 2008. Though Oklahoma holds the edge since 2008, Texas has won the Red River Showdown seven times, making it a much closer rivalry game. The SEC is just familiarizing itself with OU-Texas. Year one of the game as members of the SEC was not a good representation of the back-and-forth nature of the Red River Showdown. This year, the Sooners hope to even the score with the Longhorns under Brent Venables. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn's Ranking in Joel Klatt's Post-Spring Top 25 Revealed
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is still searching for a winning season, going into 2025 with an 11-14 record. Joel Klatt weighed in on Auburn, placing the Tigers at No. 22 in his post-spring top 25 on a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show." Advertisement Auburn narrowly missed making its second bowl game under Freeze last season. The Tigers were 5-6 heading into the final week of the regular season, but lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide 28-14 in the "Iron Bowl." The Tigers last went to a bowl game in 2023 and lost to the Maryland Terrapins 31-13 in the Music City Bowl. Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze.© Dale Zanine-Imagn Images A winning season has eluded Freeze, but consistent recruiting has not. The Tigers have top 15 classes in 2024, 2025 and 2026 via On3 Sports. Auburn also has the No. 6 overall transfer portal class on On3 Sports. The Tigers' transfer portal class is highlighted by quarterback Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma), receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech), offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech) and linebacker Xavier Atkins (LSU). Advertisement Auburn returns talent like receiver Cam Coleman, receiver Malcolm Simmons and offensive lineman Connor Lew. Coleman and Simmons were both top-rated recruits in the 2024 class. Lew started all 12 games for Auburn last season at center. Coleman finished second on the team in 2024 with 598 receiving yards, while Simmons was third with 451. Auburn's third season with Freeze in charge begins in 2025. The Tigers face the Baylor Bears in their season opener on Aug. 30. Related: Former Auburn CB Announces Transfer Commitment to Third College Football Program
