The SEC is considering a change to its college football season, and it’s something fans don’t necessarily expect.
During a meeting this week at league headquarters, SEC athletic directors discussed a possible change to a 10-game schedule, including eight conference games and two non-conference games.
Such a move would help facilitate the busy game roster the second week of the season on September 12, which features multiple games between the SEC, ACC, and Big 12. LSU is slated to host Texas, Tennessee to play Oklahoma, Auburn, and Carolina. del Norte will play a neutral site game in Atlanta, and NC State is set up to receive the state of Mississippi.
According to Sports Illustrated, this potential move is one of several different models the league discussed during this week’s meeting, and two others are an eight-game conference-only schedule, along with a nine or ten-game schedule, which would be retained. in at least one scheduled matchup with a Power 5 conference team.
The same report indicates that while COVID-19 cases are increasing across the country, specifically at multiple SEC school locations, “the consensus among administrators is that their communities and athletes are strongly in favor of playing football this fall. “
Regarding specific return dates, Sports Illustrated reports that conference ADs discussed possible start dates from September through mid-October. With a potential eight-game model, more testing and scheduling flexibility would be two obvious advantages, making this move more attractive.
A decision by SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is expected in late July.
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