An unusual college football season should logically have an unusual schedule and that’s what the SEC releases on Monday night.
The 10-game-only conference schedule will begin on September 26 and (hopefully) run through the SEC championship game on Dec. 19. There are 12 weeks available in 10 games of the regular season. Everyone gets a week off on Dec 12th. And another open date in the middle of the season. Those dates can be used as needed for makeup games.
Understand now that everything we write here today has a big ol ‘”IF” up front. There are no guarantees that the season will start as planned.
But the release of this scheme gives us some hope.
Here are the best games of the week and the best stories of the new SEC scheme. TV and time will come later.
WEEK 1, 26 sept
Best Game: Florida goes to Ole Miss for the first time since 2007. It will be the first match for Lane Kiffin as Ole Miss head coach.
Best storyline: Georgia is heading to Arkansas, where former Bulldogs’ Olympic coach Sam Pittman is now in the lead. Arkansas has lost 19 straight SEC games.
Second best storyline: When former Auburn quarterback Joey Gatewood gets an exemption to play from the NCAA, the trip from Kentucky to Auburn could be interesting.
WEEK 2, 3 Oct.
Best Game: Texas A&M at Alabama. When Jimbo Fisher will finally become a candidate in the SEC West, we will find out in Tuscaloosa.
Best Storyline: Auburn at Georgia. The oldest continuous rivalry in the deep south had already been moved to October in the old scheme. This game always delivers.
Second best storyline: Ole Miss in Kentucky. Kentucky is underrated, period. This will be a very good game.
WEEK 3, 10 Oct.
Best game: Florida at Texas A&M. The Aggies will be coming off a physical game at Alabama. Kyle Field will jump. A win would be enormous for the Gators, who are chasing Georgia in the SEC East.
Best Storyline: Tennessee in Georgia. This will be the third straight SEC East game for Tennessee.
Second Best Storyline: Alabama by Ole Miss. Sandwich game for Alabama, that will come from a game with Texas A&M and look forward to a visit from Georgia.
WEEK 4, 17 Oct.
Best Game: Georgia at Alabama. Many people will bill this as an example of the SEC championship game. Georgia’s new attack will have three games under its belt.
Best Storyline: LSU in Florida. This has turned into a nasty rivalry. The Gators led LSU, the eventual national champions, in the third quarter last season.
Second best storyline: Texas A&M in Mississippi State. You read it here first. This will be a tough match for the Aggies.
WEEK 5, 24 Oct.
Best game: Alabama in Tennessee. This will mark the fourth straight week that Nick Saban has met one of his former students. Tennessee shot the Crimson Tide last season before losing.
Best Storyline: Auburn by Ole Miss. Good coaching matchup from Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss against Kevin Steele, the defensive coordinator at Auburn.
Second best storyline: Georgia in Kentucky. Bulldogs will come from a very physical game with Alabama and will come on an open date. This is a dangerous game for Georgia.
Off: Arkansas, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt.
WEEK 6, 31 Oct.
Best game: LSU at Auburn. Winner of this is probably the most important challenger for Alabama in the SEC West.
Best Storyline: Mississippi State in Alabama. What’s the over / under on the number of times Mike Leach throws the ball? Let’s start with 50.
Second Best Storyline: Arkansas by Texas A&M. Game was originally planned for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. Moved to Kyle Field.
Off: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee.
WEEK 7 November 7
Best Game: Georgia Vs. Florida (Jacksonville). The game remains in Jacksonville, but the date was moved from October 31st. Georgia has won three straight games against the Gators. The winner here is likely to be after the SEC championship game.
Best Storyline: Texas A&M in South Carolina. Aggies will agree what should be an easy game with Arkansas, while South Carolina will have an open date.
Second best storyline: None. This is the thin week of the schedule with six teams away.
Off: Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri.
WEEK 8, 14 nov
Best Game: Alabama at LSU. These two play a classic last season in Tuscaloosa and the atmosphere will be truly electric at Tiger Stadium. The winner here is likely to be after the SEC championship game.
Best Storyline: Auburn at Mississippi State. Auburn will mix it up on defense and bring all sorts of pressure against Mike Leach’s passing game.
Second best storyline: Texas A&M in Tennessee. Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond will have a great game, but it will not be enough to defeat the Vols at Neyland Stadium.
WEEK 9, 21 nov
Best game: Tennessee at Auburn. We almost never get to see this game. This one will be very entertaining with Auburn getting a light edge at home.
Best Storyline: Ole Miss at Texas A&M. Can you say fireworks? First team after 50 wins and that could be the Rebels.
Second best storyline: Mississippi State in Georgia. Georgia will be able to retain possession and keep the Mississippi State offense off the field. Both teams scored in the high 20s to low 30s.
WEEK 10, 28 Nov.
Best Game: Auburn at Alabama. The Iron Bowl remains in its infancy on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. But it will not be the last game of the regular season, as it is normal for these two teams.
Best Storyline: Mississippi State by Ole Miss. The Egg Bowl was moved from the night of Thanksgiving and to what happened in last season’s game, this first meeting of Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach should be epic.
Second best storyline: LSU at Texas A&M. It will be interesting to see where these two teams are at this point of the season. Something tells me that a lot of points are scored.
WEEK 11, 5 dec
Best game: Florida at Tennessee. This game was originally planned for Sept. 26. If Florida defeated Georgia on Nov. 7, the Gators might be playing for the SEC East Championship in this one.
Best Storyline: Ole Miss at LSU. Will the Tigers still be battling for the SEC West title when this game rolls around? Will Ole Miss run the ball with John Rhys-Plumlee like last season did?
Second best storyline: Texas A&M by Auburn. Just trust me on these people. This game will be fun.
WEEK 12, December 12
Open date for all teams, except when makeup games are required.
WEEK 13, 19 dec
SEC Championship game, TBD
