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[FrankBowl]

Wondering how things work in the SEC (non-conference matches scattered throughout the season) compared to what we have been used to in the Big 12 (non-conference matches at the beginning of the season).
I realize things are in a state of flux, expecially for us and TX A&M, with the adjustment from 12 teams to 14. But once that is out of the way, how does non-conference scheduling work?
I found that UF has non-conference commitments through 2016. While at this point in time perhaps some of those dates are at risk due to the switch to 14 teams noted above, how does that work in general? Does the SEC tell each school on what dates their conference matches will take place for some # of years into the future (with the specific opponents for each date determined when that season's schedule is published) so that the schools can make non-conference commitments?

[TrueGCFan]

Normally you have to schedule your non-con games around the SEC schedule. As for who you play that is up to each school.  Those multi-year agreements are left as an exact date to be determined.

There some consistents though like SC vs Clemson and UGA vs GA Tech will always be the last game of the regular for each school.

In the long run tv has more to do with SEC and overall scheduling than anything else. If ESPN wants Bama and Clemson to play in the Chic-fi-la game it will happen.

[HobnailedBoots]

FrankBowl, on 21 February 2012 - 08:43 AM, said:

Wondering how things work in the SEC (non-conference matches scattered throughout the season) compared to what we have been used to in the Big 12 (non-conference matches at the beginning of the season).
I realize things are in a state of flux, expecially for us and TX A&M, with the adjustment from 12 teams to 14. But once that is out of the way, how does non-conference scheduling work?
I found that UF has non-conference commitments through 2016. While at this point in time perhaps some of those dates are at risk due to the switch to 14 teams noted above, how does that work in general? Does the SEC tell each school on what dates their conference matches will take place for some # of years into the future (with the specific opponents for each date determined when that season's schedule is published) so that the schools can make non-conference commitments?

Certain games are always on the same weekend every year. Rivalry weekend (the last week of the regular season) will always feature the same match-ups every year. Conference and non-conference, for example, LSU-Arkansas, Auburn-Alabama, Georgia-GT, USCjr-Clemson, Tennessee-Kentucky, Ole Miss-MSU etc.

There are other rivalry games that end up on the same weekend as well. The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is always played the last weekend in October. Actually, Georgia's entire conference schedule is usually (up till now anyway) the same just about every year. But not all the teams are like that, and it's obviously changing now.

[ALA2262]

Past conference game schedules, since the original expansion in 1992, have been released to the schools in ten year bundles with preset dates. Those dates of course would have been subject to change, but I suspect there has been very little change in them over the years.The SEC finished the second of those ten year bundles this past season. I would assume, after the issues that have arisen with the present expansion have been worked out, that the conference would resume the ten year bundle practice.

[Bulleit]

SEC teams usually take this approach: schedule bottom feeders or top tier programs that will give you the prime time slot to open season then schedule bottom tier teams to fill rest of the open slots. Some teams (UGA, USC, UF) close out with traditional non-SEC rivalries.