Pros, cons and verdict on SEC football 8- or 9-game conference schedule dilemma

Pros of a nine-game SEC football schedule

There are so many advantages to this. One, you get to keep secondary rivalries intact, many of whom are better than other league’s primaries. A nine-game schedule in a 16-team league guarantees eight more conference games a year. Multiply that by four and you have 32 additional money-making events that will replace Alabama vs. Random Directional Cupcake State University.

I think another advantage here is it curries favor to other Power Five conferences. Going to nine games aligns the SEC with the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12, and would probably force the ACC to get in line, too. The best thing for college football going forward is for there to be a sports czar or commissioner to oversee it, particularly when it comes to figuring out how to create some parity.

You get greater game rotation, you get to keep more great rivalries alive and it’s not like a quality 9-3 SEC team gets left out of an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff anyway. Let’s be real.

Cons of a nine-game SEC football schedule

I do get the 4-5 and 5-4 home/road splits can be a divisive issue for some programs, but they are just going to have to get over that. However, I do think one big issue having to do with the ninth conference game is it might prevent bottom-tiered teams from being in a position to go bowling. Now, you have to win at least three conference games to achieve bowl eligibility. Just figure it out!

Another part that could be divisive is who their three permanent rivals are. Alabama would probably play Auburn, Tennessee and LSU, although LSU could easily be swapped out for Mississippi State. Some teams’ obvious threes are more menacing than others. This may be something they will want to revisit every four years to help keep the three annual rivalries fresh.

Admittedly, there is a great deal of uncertainty going to nine, but being fearful is not how you win.

Let’s assess both sides of the equation and determine which of the two proposals should win out.