What a Hypothetical 9-Game SEC Football Schedule Might Look Like in 2014

A possible move to a nine-game conference schedule has been the subject of intense speculation ever since the SEC expanded to add Missouri and Texas A&M prior to the 2012 season. The SEC settled on an eight-game schedule for 2012 and 2013. But beyond that, it's anybody's guess.

ESPN.com reported on Monday that a nine-game schedule will be one of the major talking points when SEC officials meet in Destin, Fla., later this month.

But it may not be entirely up to the SEC.

"I think TV will certainly have something to say about that also,'' said Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel on the SEC coaches' teleconference last week. "The commissioner will do what's best for the league, and we will support that."

Television networks want inventory, and a nine-game conference football schedule would certainly provide more inventory—including games on the yet-to-be-created SEC cable network.

My colleague Michael Felder over at Your Best 11 tells conferences to pump the brakes on the nine-game conference schedule talk, but that doesn't mean we can't speculate.

Here it is, your hypothetical nine-game SEC schedule for 2014. Current out-of-conference games were included, thanks to the good folks at FBSchedules.com. But some games had to be moved or postponed to later years to fit in the extra conference game. For teams that didn't have three out-of-conference games arranged, I took the liberty of scheduling them myself.

For the sake of continuity, all SEC East teams play five conference home games and four conference road games, and vice versa for the West. Permanent cross-division rivalries were preserved, with the new rivalries (Arkansas vs. Missouri and South Carolina vs. Texas A&M) being implemented. 

You're welcome, SEC office.

(For a full view of the schedule, click here)

Florida Gators

Florida's schedule was rather easy to configure. The Gators already have their end-of-the-season showdown with Florida State set in stone. They also have out-of-conference games with Idaho, Eastern Michigan and Eastern Kentucky.

One of those had to go, and it was the Eastern Kentucky game. 

On even-numbered years, the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party with Georgia counts as a Florida road game, which is why you see only three true road games for the Gators within the SEC. LSU stays as Florida's permanent cross-division rival in this format.

Florida's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Idaho

Sept. 6 vs. Eastern Michigan

Sept. 13 at Vanderbilt

Sept. 20 at Tennessee

Sept. 27 vs. Mississippi State

Oct. 4 vs. LSU

Oct. 11 BYE

Oct. 18 vs. Missouri

Oct. 25 at Alabama

Nov. 1 vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville)

Nov. 8 vs. Kentucky

Nov. 15 BYE

Nov. 22 vs. South Carolina

Nov. 29 at Florida State

Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia's 2014 schedule features its intra-state rivalry with Georgia Tech to close the season and a visit from neighboring Clemson to start the season. 

The Bulldogs also have out-of-conference games with Charleston Southern and South Alabama. Sorry,  South Alabama, but you've been cut from Georgia's 2014 hypothetical schedule.

I'm sure it will be picked back up in the future.

Georgia still plays South Carolina to start the season and will play what counts as a home game vs. Florida in Jacksonville.

Georgia's Hypohetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Clemson

Sept. 6 at South Carolina

Sept. 13 BYE

Sept. 20 at Kentucky

Sept. 27 vs. Tennessee

Oct. 4 at Arkansas

Oct. 11 vs. Vanderbilt

Oct. 18 BYE

Oct. 25 at Missouri

Nov. 1 vs. Florida (in Jacksonville)

Nov. 8 vs. Texas A&M

Nov. 15 vs. Auburn

Nov. 22 vs. Charleston Southern

Nov. 29 vs. Georgia Tech

Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky's out-of-conference schedule is set for 2014, with games against Louisville, Ohio and Tennessee-Martin already on the docket. 

Simple, right?

Mark Stoops' crew has a nice SEC schedule, with bye weeks bracketing a stretch of four straight conference games, with another four-game SEC stretch to close the season.

The Wildcats do keep Mississippi State as their permanent cross-division rival, and add games with Ole Miss and LSU. Could there be another "Bluegrass Miracle" on the bayou?

Kentucky's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 31 (Sunday) at Louisville

Sept. 6 vs. Ohio

Sept. 13 vs. UT-Martin

Sept. 20 vs. Georgia

Sept. 27 BYE

Oct. 4 vs. South Carolina

Oct. 11 vs. Ole Miss

Oct. 18 at LSU

Oct. 25 vs. Mississippi State

Nov. 1 BYE

Nov. 8 at Florida

Nov. 15 at Missouri

Nov. 22 vs. Vanderbilt

Nov. 30 at Tennessee

Missouri Tigers

Since Missouri has out-of-conference games scheduled with UCF, Indiana, South Dakota State and at Toledo, I had to do some moving and shaking with the Tigers' schedule.

Gone is the game at Toledo because—come on Missouri—SEC teams don't go to Toledo. The South Dakota State game also disappeared in favor of the renewal of the Kansas rivalry at the end of the season in Kansas City (that's right, we're scheduling neutral site games, too).

Yes, it's coming back. Hop on board.

Missouri also opens the season on Thursday night on the road against Auburn, will start its permanent cross-division rivalry with Arkansas and also host former Big 12 mate Texas A&M out of the West.

Missouri's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 28 (Thurs.) at Auburn

Sept. 6 vs. Vanderbilt

Sept. 13 vs. UCF

Sept. 20 vs. Indiana

Sept. 27 BYE

Oct. 4 at Tennessee

Oct. 11 BYE

Oct. 18 at Florida

Oct. 25 vs. Georgia

Nov. 1 vs. Texas A&M

Nov. 8 at South Carolina

Nov. 15 vs. Kentucky

Nov. 22 vs. Arkansas

Nov. 29 vs. Kansas (in Kansas City)*

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina has its traditional end-of-the-season game vs. Clemson, as well as out-of-conference games versus East Carolina, Furman and Troy on the schedule. Sorry, Troy, you're the odd man out.

The Gamecocks host Georgia in Week 2, but must travel to Florida the week before the Clemson game. Yes, Florida and South Carolina have bye weeks in Week 12, so we could have conceivably kept the traditional cupcake or placed a bye week before the intra-state rivalries each program plays against ACC foes on the final weekend of the season.

But be honest, South Carolina fans, would you rather have a bye week before Clemson, or have a week off before playing at Florida and at Clemson to close the season?

Take the risk.

The Gamecocks start their cross-divisional rivalry with Texas A&M, and get Alabama and LSU out of the West. Steve Spurrier probably won't be too happy about that.

South Carolina's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. East Carolina (in Charlotte)

Sept. 6 vs. Georgia

Sept. 13 BYE

Sept. 20 vs. Alabama

Sept. 27 vs. LSU

Oct. 4 at Kentucky

Oct. 11 at Texas A&M

Oct. 18 vs. Furman

Oct. 25 at Vanderbilt

Nov. 1 vs. Tennessee

Nov. 8 vs. Missouri

Nov. 15 BYE

Nov. 22 at Florida

Nov. 29 at Clemson

Tennessee Volunteers

Reconfiguring Tennessee's schedule was rather easy.

The Volunteers have out-of-conference games with Chattanooga and at Oklahoma, which made it easy. Troy was dropped from South Carolina's schedule, so the Trojans will instead play at Tennessee.

The rest of Tennessee's schedule was rather straightforward. The Vols have their traditional cross-division rivalry with Alabama, as well as games versus Ole Miss and Mississippi State out of the West.

A three-game road trip in November is tough, but a week off before and after Alabama is a nice luxury for the Vols.

Tennessee's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Chattanooga

Sept. 6 vs. Ole Miss

Sept. 13 at Oklahoma

Sept. 20 vs. Florida

Sept. 27 at Georgia

Oct. 4 vs. Missouri

Oct. 11 BYE

Oct. 18 vs. Alabama

Oct. 25 BYE

Nov. 1 at South Carolina

Nov. 8 at Mississippi State

Nov. 15 at Vanderbilt

Nov. 22 vs. Troy*

Nov. 29 vs. Kentucky

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt has UMass and Wake Forest already on its 2014 schedule, so it needed another out-of-conference game.

So why not have Vanderbilt and Duke get together?

The Commodores will play their annual cross-division rivalry with Ole Miss and add Arkansas and Auburn out of the West.

I'm sure head coach James Franklin appreciates the bye weeks bracketing the home game against South Carolina.

Vanderbilt's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Duke*

Sept. 6 at Missouri

Sept. 13 vs. Florida

Sept. 20 at Ole Miss

Sept. 27 vs. Arkansas

Oct. 4 vs. UMass

Oct. 11 at Georgia

Oct. 18 BYE

Oct. 25 vs. South Carolina

Nov. 1 BYE

Nov. 8 vs. Auburn

Nov. 15 vs. Tennessee

Nov. 22 at Kentucky

Nov. 29 vs. Wake Forest

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama will play West Virginia in the 2014 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic in Atlanta, host Florida Atlantic the following week and get a visit from Western Carolina before the Iron Bowl. Those games are set in stone.

The Crimson Tide will visit Tennessee on the "Third Saturday of October" and also play South Carolina and Florida out of the East. Sure, that's a tall order, but this is Alabama, and Alabama can handle it.

That LSU game in Week 12 looms large and could decide the SEC West.

Alabama's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 31 vs. West Virginia (in Atlanta)

Sept. 6 vs. Florida Atlantic

Sept. 13 BYE

Sept. 20 at South Carolina

Sept. 27 vs. Texas A&M

Oct. 4 at Ole Miss

Oct. 11 vs. Mississippi State

Oct. 18 at Tennessee

Oct. 25 vs. Florida

Nov. 1 BYE

Nov. 8 at Arkansas

Nov. 15 at LSU

Nov. 22 vs. Western Carolina

Nov. 29 vs. Auburn

Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas only has Northern Illinois on its 2014 out-of-conference schedule, which means we had some scheduling to do.

Welcome Arkansas State to the docket.

Yes, the game that can't ever seem to get scheduled will be played in 2014 on Week 1. 

Get your popcorn ready.

Also on the schedule is South Alabama, thanks to the fact that Georgia's meeting with South Alabama had to be moved to accommodate the ninth conference game.

Arkansas will have to visit LSU on back-to-back seasons and will kick off the border war with Missouri. The neutral-site Texas A&M game is counted as a road game.

Arkansas' Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 31 vs. Arkansas State*

Sept. 6 at Texas A&M (in Arlington, Texas)

Sept. 13 BYE

Sept. 20 vs. Northern Illinois

Sept. 27 at Vanderbilt

Oct. 4 vs. Georgia

Oct. 11 BYE

Oct. 18 vs. Ole Miss

Oct. 25 at Auburn

Nov. 1 vs. Mississippi State

Nov. 8 vs. Alabama 

Nov. 15 vs. South Alabama

Nov. 22 at Missouri

Nov. 28 (Friday) at LSU

*Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

Auburn Tigers

In addition to its game at Kansas State, Auburn has holes to fill in its out-of-conference schedule.

Enter Troy and Georgia State.

It may not be desirable to play Troy, which is just down the road from Auburn. But it should happen. Add in the tuneup against Georgia State between Georgia and Alabama, and Auburn's schedule is complete.

November is the key stretch for the Tigers, who will have home games against Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas. The Tigers will kick off the season at home on Thursday night against Missouri.

Auburn's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 28 (Thurs.) vs. Missouri

Sept. 6 vs. Troy*

Sept. 13 at Mississippi State

Sept. 20 at Kansas State

Sept. 27 BYE

Oct. 4 vs. Texas A&M

Oct. 11 vs. LSU

Oct. 18 BYE

Oct. 25 vs. Arkansas

Nov. 1 at Ole Miss

Nov. 8 at Vanderbilt

Nov. 15 at Georgia

Nov. 22 vs. Georgia State*

Nov. 29 at Alabama

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

LSU Tigers

You know that out-of-conference game between LSU and Wisconsin in Green Bay that's being discussed? Yeah, that's happening. 

No, not late in the season (sorry, Big Ten folks), but in Week 1.

LSU will also host New Mexico State and Louisiana-Monroe in 2014, but it has to move its game with New Mexico State back a week to Week 4.

The Tigers keep Florida as their permanent cross-division rival (sorry, Les Miles) and play South Carolina and Kentucky out of the East.

LSU's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Wisconsin (in Green Bay)*

Sept. 6 BYE

Sept. 13 vs. Ole Miss

Sept. 20 vs. New Mexico State

Sept. 27 at South Carolina

Oct. 4 at Florida

Oct. 11 at Auburn

Oct. 18 vs. Kentucky

Oct. 25 at Texas A&M

Nov. 1 BYE

Nov. 8 vs. ULM

Nov. 15 vs. Alabama

Nov. 22 at Mississippi State

Nov. 28 (Friday) vs. Arkansas

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

Mississippi State Bulldogs

We had issues to deal with on the Mississippi State schedule. The Bulldogs have out-of-conference games  with Southern Miss, UT-Martin, South Alabama and UAB in 2014, so we had to drop the game against UAB.

Sorry, Blazers.

The Bulldogs have a bye week before and after the game at Alabama, which I'm sure pleases head coach Dan Mullen. They keep the Kentucky game out of the East and add Florida and Tennessee to the mix.

Yes, the Egg Bowl is on Thanksgiving night...right where it should be.

Mississippi State's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Southern Miss

Sept. 6 vs. UT-Martin

Sept. 13 vs. Auburn

Sept. 20 at South Alabama

Sept. 27 at Florida

Oct. 4 BYE

Oct. 11 at Alabama

Oct. 18 BYE

Oct. 25 at Kentucky

Nov. 1 at Arkansas

Nov. 8 vs. Tennessee

Nov. 15 vs. Texas A&M

Nov. 22 vs. LSU

Nov. 27 (Thursday) at Ole Miss

Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss will open the season with Boise State in Atlanta in the first of two Chick-Fil-A Kickoff games. With Alabama vs. West Virginia taking top billing, the game against the Broncos will be relegated to Friday night, much like the N.C. State-Tennessee game was in 2012.

They will also play Memphis and UL-Lafayette out of conference, but dropped a game against Presbyterian to make room for the ninth SEC game. The UL-Lafayette game had to be moved to later in the season.

The Rebels keep their cross-division rivalry with Vanderbilt and also add Tennessee and Kentucky out of the East.

Ole Miss' Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 29 (Friday) vs. Boise State (in Atlanta)

Sept. 6 at Tennessee

Sept. 13 at LSU

Sept. 20 vs. Vanderbilt

Sept. 27 vs. Memphis

Oct. 4 vs. Alabama

Oct. 11 at Kentucky

Oct. 18 at Arkansas

Oct. 25 BYE

Nov. 1 vs. Auburn

Nov. 8 BYE

Nov. 15 vs. UL-Lafayette

Nov. 22 at Texas A&M

Nov. 27 (Thursday) vs. Mississippi State

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M has games against Lamar and SMU scheduled out of conference, so I took the liberty of bringing back the game versus Texas because it needs to be played—in College Station.

Don't bring up politics. It's back. Accept it. Own it. Don't be scared, Texas.

The Aggies also start their cross-division rivalry with South Carolina, play former Big 12 foe Missouri and will play between the hedges at Georgia.

The bye week before LSU will be nice, but that game at Alabama will be the headliner.

Texas A&M's Hypothetical 2014 Schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Lamar

Sept. 6 vs. Arkansas

Sept. 13 BYE

Sept. 20 at SMU

Sept. 27 at Alabama

Oct. 4 at Auburn

Oct. 11 vs. South Carolina

Oct. 18 BYE

Oct. 25 vs. LSU

Nov. 1 at Missouri

Nov. 8 at Georgia

Nov. 15 at Mississippi State

Nov. 22 vs. Ole Miss

Nov. 29 vs. Texas*

* Hypothetical out-of-conference matchup

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