LSU's athletic director is against a nine-game SEC schedule
As speculation increases about the future conference schedules of the SEC, count LSU athletic director Joe Alleva in the camp against having a nine-game conference slate.
When the SEC expanded to 14 teams before the 2012 season, the conference kept an eight-game schedule format. Each team plays the other six teams in its division, a rival from another division and a rotating team from another division. (Prior to the 2012 season, the each team had two rotating intra-division games.)
As its expanded, the ACC has discussed moving to a nine-game schedule. The Pac-12 already has one, as does the Big 12. The Big Ten is moving to one in 2016.
With a conference schedule set through just the upcoming season, the discussion has shifted towards whether or not the SEC will add in another rotating game. Alleva doesn't want it and says other ADs won't vote for changing the current format either.
He and coach Les Miles would ultimately prefer two rotating intra-divison opponents in place of the rivalry game. LSU's permanent cross-division opponent is Florida.
“The ADs will not change their votes,” Alleva told the Advocate, “The only hope for change is for the (SEC) presidents to realize it’s not an equitable schedule. They have to have the foresight and wisdom to change it.”
He also said that it "means seven more losses for certain teams."
The seven extra losses he refers to are referencing the non-conference game SEC teams would have to give up for a nine-game schedule. While most SEC teams schedule weaker non-conference opponents, even then (*cough,* Florida, *cough*) it doesn't mean an automatic win.
Besides, there could be some pressure from ESPN and the SEC Network for another conference game. The seven extra conference matchups are much more lucrative for a network than, say, Alabama vs. Chattanooga, and if every other conference has a ninth game, the SEC may need to add one as well. And we're betting it happens sooner rather than later. This is college football. Money talks.
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is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @NickBromberg
