SEC football: Put up or shut up

[AteUp]

Kentucky does it more out of rote obligation, satisfying the state's mandate to have its two I-A teams play on an annual basis. The Wildcats are so thrilled about the series that they've cravenly demanded moving the games in Lexington off their traditional season-opening date to a spot later in the calendar, when the matchup will draw less attention.

The other SEC school to step up is Georgia, which has agreed to a two-year home-and-home with Louisville starting in 2010.

Vanderbilt backed out of a contract with the Cards that was to start next year. Everyone else in the SEC has passed at least once on home-and-home overtures from Louisville this century, according to senior associate athletic director Kevin Miller.

It's gotten to the point that Louisville is now offering neutral-site games with SEC teams. Miller said he's met with officials in Nashville about scheduling Louisville against Alabama, Arkansas or Tennessee. Athletic director Tom Jurich (10) said he's open to playing an SEC team in the Georgia Dome. They've asked ESPN for help in lining up games, too.

The takers are few -- and not just in the SEC. Among the others who have broken contracts with the Cardinals in recent years, according to Miller: Boston College, Georgia Tech, Duke and Texas Tech.

"[Football scheduling] has become the hardest part of my job," Jurich said.

SEC schools are busy filling out their schedules with home games, largely against chumps. So far in 2006 the league has produced exactly one road win against a nonconference opponent from a Big Six league: Vanderbilt over Duke. The Big East owns six road wins over Big Six opponents in 2006.

This is how you preserve the status quo: refuse to play up-and-coming programs, then howl about their allegedly weak schedules.

But the status quo is four Louisville victories away from taking a thumping. If the Cardinals win out -- beating undefeated Rutgers Thursday, bowl-eligible South Florida Nov. 18, bowl-eligible Pittsburgh Nov. 25, then closing it out Dec. 2 against Connecticut -- and they're not sabotaged in the human polls, they'll likely be headed to Glendale, Ariz.

And no amount of negative campaigning from the establishment schools should stop it.

[AteUp]

He's not a HC in the SEC so he must have no idea what he's talking about.:eek:

Charlie Weis was on CSTV tonight talking about this week's college football games, and they asked him whether Rutgers should play in the BCS Championship game if they go undefeated. He said that they absolutely should, as if a team goes undefeated in a BCS conference they should get that chance. He went on to say that no one knows which conferences will be strong from year to year, and that for all anyone knows the BE might become the next power conference. He complimented the strength of the BE, mentioning Louisville, Rutgers, WVU, and Pitt.

[naturalelite]

I guess when you have 5 teams normally in the top 15 noone questions your strength of schedule in conference. UT,FL,GA,Auburn, and LSU.. If you look at the Sec they have nothing to gain from playing louisville but they have everything to lose. After this year they may feel differently but until this year just look at what has happened to Florida State since the loss at UofL. I don't think anyone can question UofL is heading in the right direction but are they there yet is the question?? I hope they make it to the NC game and we see if they are there yet. Playing the game is the only way you know for sure.

Before you guys start bashing me I said nothing negative towards UofL so check your petty feelings at the door.:)

[Art]

I don't know much about football but why have they not asked FL or LSU if they are dying to play SEC teams?

[kyfanatic]

I don't know much about football but why have they not asked FL or LSU if they are dying to play SEC teams?

Vanderbilt the real powerhouse of the SEC,yep,I'm sure the Whole SEC is scared to death of Louisville and the Big Least. Keep that swelled head it'll bite you in the rear pretty soon,How come they haven't tried to schedule USC,Ohio State,Michigan,Michigan state,UCLA,Nebraska,Oklahoma,and Oklahoma State?

[schuyler olt]

Vanderbilt the real powerhouse of the SEC,yep,I'm sure the Whole SEC is scared to death of Louisville and the Big Least. Keep that swelled head it'll bite you in the rear pretty soon,How come they haven't tried to schedule USC,Ohio State,Michigan,Michigan state,UCLA,Nebraska,Oklahoma,and Oklahoma State?


Because we don't have Notre Dame's television contract.

What SEC team played any of those teams this season?

[ryan hickey]

naturalelite nailed it - these SEC teams have nothing to gain from playing UL, so why bother?










i sure hope rutgers kicks the crap out of them....:)

[AteUp]

If they won't play them, they're afraid they could lose. Which would mean they could be a better team. That's how it's decided right? On the field?

[kyfanatic]

Because we don't have Notre Dame's television contract.

What SEC team played any of those teams this season?

Well of the top of my head = Arkansas played U. SOUTHERN CAL,Auburn played Washington State,Florida played FLORIDA STATE,Georgia plays GATECH,LSU played Arizona and Fresno St,Ole Miss played Wake Forest,Miss St played West Virginia,South Carolina plays Clemson,Tennessee played CALIFORNIA and Air Force,and Vanderbilt played MICHIGAN and Duke.

Obviously Little Brother not only wants to be better than UK but the whole SEC ?
keep trying,maybe someday,close but NO CIGAR YET!

[schuyler olt]

Well of the top of my head = Arkansas played U. SOUTHERN CAL,Auburn played Washington State,Florida played FLORIDA STATE,Georgia plays GATECH,LSU played Arizona and Fresno St,Ole Miss played Wake Forest,Miss St played West Virginia,South Carolina plays Clemson,Tennessee played CALIFORNIA and Air Force,and Vanderbilt played MICHIGAN and Duke.

Obviously Little Brother not only wants to be better than UK but the whole SEC ?
keep trying,maybe someday,close but NO CIGAR YET!


Okay, by your list that's two--Arkansas v. USC and Vandy v. Michigan.

Yes, we do want to be better than every team in the SEC. The fact is, we probably are. Let's not forget that last year the BE champ beat the SEC champ, so clearly the upper tier of the BE is competitive with the upper tier of the SEC. And you absolutely can't deny that UofL is in the upper tier of the BE.

Instead of trying to cut down the Cards, why don't you find encouragement in the Cats finally becoming something other than a whipping boy in the SEC? It would be nice to see a single digit point spread in our annual game. As it stands right now, Big Brother, the Oven was waaaaaay hotter for both Miami and WVa than it was for UK.

[kyfanatic]

I never could see trying to make myself look better by belittling someone or something else.

[slickhead slayer]

You guys can't even win your bad conference, and you already want a piece of the SEC.:rolleyes:

[KYhunter79]

You guys can't even win your bad conference, and you already want a piece of the SEC.:rolleyes:

WVU, UL, and Rutgers are easily as good as any team in the SEC.

[slickhead slayer]

WVU, UL, and Rutgers are easily as good as any team in the SEC.
bwahahahaha!!!!!!! Keep thinking that.
Rutgers doesn't even know the rules of the game.
They motioned each other to stay away from the ball after the blocked extra point. The UL player walked in between the four Rutgers players, picked it up and took it in for two points.
Play a team that knows the rules before you even mention the SEC!!!!!:rolleyes:

What a crackerjack league.

[slickhead slayer]

WVU, UL, and Rutgers are easily as good as any team in the SEC.

Rutgers plays a VERY easy schedule, and they still barely beat some VERY BAD teams.
They beat a bad North Carolina team 21-16, a bad South Florida team 22-20 and a bad UCONN 24-13.
They play a weak schedule AND still barely beat several teams. There is no comparison between them and the middle tier SEC teams, much less the top tier SEC teams.

[maxcam]

Rutgers plays a VERY easy schedule, and they still barely beat some VERY BAD teams.
They beat a bad North Carolina team 21-16, a bad South Florida team 22-20 and a bad UCONN 24-13.
They play a weak schedule AND still barely beat several teams. There is no comparison between them and the middle tier SEC teams, much less the top tier SEC teams.

The did beat the Ville though!!!!! :D

[AteUp]

You guys can't even win your bad conference, and you already want a piece of the SEC.:rolleyes:

I guess ony undefeated conference champions can play sec teams? you guys are ignoring the fact that the Big East champion beat the SEC champ in the most recent matchup. For those saying a team like Rutgers sucks because they are "Rutgers", well what about a team like "Georgia", or "Miami", or "FSU" this year. I guess they are good teams this year becuase of the name on their uniform? Is it plausible that some new teams in the polls can be good without being a traditional power?

[maxcam]

I guess ony undefeated conference champions can play sec teams? you guys are ignoring the fact that the Big East champion beat the SEC champ in the most recent matchup. For those saying a team like Rutgers sucks because they are "Rutgers", well what about a team like "Georgia", or "Miami", or "FSU" this year. I guess they are good teams this year becuase of the name on their uniform? Is it plausible that some new teams in the polls can be good without being a traditional power?

Terry....Imagine what your team would look like after if plays LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Rutgers all in the same year.......

Kuddos that UofL cant entice an SEC team to play it.....There is good reason......How many top 25 teams should a team play a year when it only takes one loss to eliminate you from national championship status?

UofL is a dangerous team to play......When you are already playing 4 or 5 top 25 teams already why risk your players or a loss......

[kyfanatic]

Terry....Imagine what your team would look like after if plays LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Rutgers all in the same year.......

Kuddos that UofL cant entice an SEC team to play it.....There is good reason......How many top 25 teams should a team play a year when it only takes one loss to eliminate you from national championship status?

UofL is a dangerous team to play......When you are already playing 4 or 5 top 25 teams already why risk your players or a loss......

You forgot Auburn,Alabama,Arkansas,and sometimes South Carolina!

[slickhead slayer]

For those saying a team like Rutgers sucks because they are "Rutgers", well what about a team like "Georgia", or "Miami", or "FSU" this year. I guess they are good teams this year becuase of the name on their uniform? Is it plausible that some new teams in the polls can be good without being a traditional power?

I agree with that, I hate the BCS, its terrible unfair. Teams like Georgia, Miami, Flor St, WVU, USC all were overranked because of last years results. Have an 8 team playoff for the Nat Championship, let them play it out.