Hey All,
The dog days of summer are rolling by and the great day when toe meets leather for real is rapidly approaching. Let's complete our look at the schedules of the Power Four conferences by casting our gaze at the slates of the SEC and the ACC.
Southeastern Conference
The SEC has added two teams this year in Oklahoma and Texas who were very willing to leave the Big XII in their rear view mirror like Mac Davis did to Lubbock way back when. Another change this year for the league is that there will be no more divisions. The two teams with the best record will meet in the title game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on 12/7. The 16 teams in the league are Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
SEC Top Out Of Conference Games
Note that the Florida-Miami and South Carolina-Clemson and Kentucky-Louisville games are not in the list because the importance of these annual rivalry games is well known by all.
8/31- Notre Dame at Texas A&M: These two teams have played each other only five times. Three of those were in the Cotton Bowl where ND holds a 2-1 edge with wins in 1993 and '94. TAMU beat the Irish in the 1988 textile classic. The teams are 1-1 otherwise with the Aggies winning their last meeting back in 2001, 24-3. Pretty simple here, the winner gets out of Labor Day alive, while the loser has a whole season to try and put this game behind them.
9/1- LSU v USC: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV- The Bayou Bengals have to hold up SEC pride. They also lost a big opening season game like this last year to Florida State and don't want to be embarrassed again. If the Tigers can't tame the Trojans, HC Brian Kelly will have a lot more to answer for than just his phony southern accent to the LSU faithful. The teams have met only twice before with the Trojans taking a 17-12 barn burner at Death Valley in 1979, then coming up on the wrong end of a 23-3 score at the Coliseum in 1984. The '84 game never felt that close. LSU dominated from start to finish.
9/7- Texas at Michigan: Is Texas back? Well, we will find out part of the answer early as the Horns invade Ann Arbor. If you're Texas you have to win this one to have any kind of respect heading into your first year in the SEC. If the Maize and Blue puts Bevo XV on a spit, things could get ugly very quickly in Austin. Things look good for UT as they return 15 starters while Michigan's HC is now pacing the sidelines for the Chargers and they return just seven starters. Only two of those are on offense. We keep hearing how Michigan is very deep. We will find out how deep on 9/7.
9/14- Alabama at Wisconsin: I'm just surprised Bama crossed the Mason-Dixon Line for a real road game at a Power Four school. I'm sure the denizens of Tuscaloosa are still in shock over it. However, the Crimson Tide should beat the Badgers, but stranger things have happened at Camp Randall Stadium.
SEC Intriguing Out of Conference Game
9/7- Cal at Auburn: The Golden Bears will log a lot of miles in their first year in the ACC. This OOC road trip to Auburn just adds to the miles tally. Last year the Golden Bears fell in Berkeley to the Tigers, 14-10 on a late score. This year, the Bears visit the plains. Cal is the first OOC power conference team to visit Auburn since Clemson beat the AU, 19-13 in 2016. This is HC Hugh Freeze's second year with the Tigers and expectations are high, however reality is that his squad will be middle of the pack in the SEC. Cal could squeak out an upset.
SEC Top Conference Games
9/28- Georgia at Alabama: These two have quite a recent post season history, yet this will be their first regular season meeting since 2020 where the Crimson Tide rolled to a 41-24 win in Tuscaloosa. The Bulldogs are the top Dawgs in the SEC with two national titles in the last three years. However, the big question mark is can Alabama keep their great run of excellence going under new HC Kalen DeBoer? Loser of this game will be in scramble mode trying to keep in the hunt for a playoff spot.
10/12- Mississippi at LSU: On a day where great matchups will fill the day, this game is near the top of the slate. It's simple, the team that wins here keeps fighting to take SEC crown. Is this really the year for Lane Kiffin's Rebels? Can they make that ascension to the playoff or will LSU rebound under Brian Kelly? Will the Tigers have a defense that can keep up with the Rebs? Can Ole Miss keep the Tigers out of the end zone? The winner will have a path to the SEC title game.
10/19- Georgia at Texas: I see this matchup and I think about a freezing cold Cotton Bowl with Lindsey Nelson in a hideous plaid sport coat on the call for CBS on a January 1 of long ago. However, these teams did recently meet in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. Who could forget Bevo XV going after Uga XI during pregame? Charge!!!! Now onto this game, where many pundits think this is just round one between these two teams as they are favored to meet again in the SEC title game. It should be a barn burner in Austin.
11/9- Oklahoma at Missouri: These two haven't met since 2011. Mizzou then left for the SEC. OU owns this series and has gone 32-4 v. the Tigers since 1970. Missouri needs this win if they are to say that they are one of the better teams in the league. A loss and it's just the same old Missouri form the Big 8/XII days. A win for OU keeps those that don't like HC Brent Venables quiet for a week.
11/30- Texas at Texas A&M: These two bitter rivals haven't met on the gridiron since 2011. That was the year before the Aggies bolted for the Big XII for the SEC and left Austin behind. Now, the game is back on with the Horns now in the SEC. So this is again a conference game, a rivalry game and it hasn't been played in 13 years. This intrepid reporter thinks emotions may be running high when kickoff approaches in College Station. Wow.
Bonus Game
11/18- Texas at Arkansas: This old rivalry is back and it is a conference game as it should be. The programs are in headed in different directions at the moment, but a classic rivalry game is always worth a watch. The teams have met only six times since 2000 with the Razorbacks owning a 4-2 record over the Longhorns in that stretch. The last game was in 2021 when Hogs worked over the Horns, 40-21.
SEC Scheduling Notes
...Four the hard way; Georgia only plays four real road games, but three of those road games are at Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss.
...Aiming for Halloween; Texas travels to Michigan on 9/7, but the Horns won't leave the state again until 10/26 when they head off to Vanderbilt and their almost completed stadium.
...Distantly acquainted; Florida and Ole Miss Have been in the SEC together since 1933, but this year they will face each other for only the 26th time. Huh? Yup, There have been two seven-year and one 10-year stretch where they never faced each other. They will meet this year on 11/23 at The Swamp. Oh and the series is tied at 12-12-1.
...The Southwest Conference experience; LSU plays back-to-back road games at Arkansas and Texas A&M on 10/19 and 10/26.
...Big misses; Missouri won't play either Georgia or Texas this year.
...Tough Triple; On three straight weeks in October, South Carolina hosts Ole Miss then travels to Alabama and Oklahoma.
...Road Sandwich schedule; Auburn stays home for all of August/September, is on the road for all of October, then stays in the state of Alabama for all of November.
...Keep the home jerseys clean; Arkansas plays only two road games from 10/5 until end of the season. Both of their byes are in that part of the schedule too.
...Vandy is Dandy in misses; Vanderbilt will not play Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss or Oklahoma this year.
...Tough Quintuple; Florida's final five games are after their final bye. Here's their slate of brutality; 11/2 v. Georgia in Jacksonville, 11/9 at Texas, 11/16 v. LSU, 11/23 v.Ole Miss, 11/30 at Florida State.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Well, the ACC picked up two new schools in the aftermath of the demise of the Pac 12. Cal and Stanford are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Huh? Oh well, in the NFL for many years the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons were in the NFC West Division. Oh, and they also picked up SMU too form the AAC. Let's move on. This year the ACC has 17 teams. They are Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. There will also be no divisions in the ACC. Top two teams will play in the league title game.
ACC Top Out Of Conference Games
8/29- North Carolina at Minnesota: Last year the Tar Heels won the first ever meeting between the two, 31-13 in Chapel Hill. Can they make it two in row this year in Minneapolis? We will see. What we do know is that "Row the Boat" and many other annoying catchphrases from Minnesota HC P. J. Fleck will be mentioned way too many times by the announcers.
8/31- Clemson v. Georgia: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA- Ok Clemson fans, wanna put all the whining by your HC Dabo Swinney about the state of modern college football aside? Beat the Bulldogs and suddenly Dabo's ramblings won't matter.
8/31- Miami at Florida: Gainesville has been struck by the remnants of a several real hurricanes since the football variety of hurricane last visited The Swamp. Miami hasn't played at Florida since 2008, so this game is a pretty big game for that reason alone. The U is looking to make that huge stride in the program that most successful ones do with a HC in his third year while Florida HC Billy Napier has been on the hot seat after gong 11-14 in his first two seasons with the Blue and Orange. A Miami win would be great for themselves and the ACC as a whole.
8/31- UC Davis at California: Just kidding. Wanted to see if you all were still paying attention.
ACC Out Of Conference Intriguing Games
9/14- Maryland at Virginia: This is just two old ACC foes getting back together again. They renewed their rivalry last year with the Terps taking a 42-14 home win. This year the Cavaliers host the Terps for the first time since 2012. Can UVa upset the sons of Testudo and grab a much needed win towards a bowl game? Could be a good one here.
11/30- Stanford at San Jose State: Why does the Elway Bowl get any attention here? Because this is the first time in the history of this series that spans 67 games over 124 years that the contest will be held at San Jose State. Also, the HC matchup of SU's Troy Taylor and SJSU' Ken Niumatalolo might be a really good battle of football minds. Could be worth a watch.
ACC Top Conference Games
9/21: North Carolina State at Clemson: This game is not on most folks radar, but I have it here because of NC State HC Dave Doeren. Doeren is the Mike Riley of the ACC. He consistently puts together solid, tough teams that overachieve. The Wolfpack has won two of the their last three games v. the Tigers, but both of those were at home in Raleigh. They haven't won at Clemson since 2002 when Phillip Rivers was the QB for NC State. A win here would be a big deal for the Wolfpack.
9/28- Florida State at SMU: The Mustangs come to the ACC ready to make some noise. How better to do that than knocking off one of the league title favorites early on? Big bonus here for SMU is that they don't play either Clemson or Miami so an upset win here gives them a great shot at making an ACC title run. The Ponies also have a QB with cool sounding name in Preston Stone.
10/12- Clemson at Florida State: For FSU this is hurdle #1 to getting to the ACC title game. They have to beat the Tigers to make sure their game with Miami a couple of weeks later means something. The Tigers don't face Miami so a win here gives them the inside track to the top of the ACC.
10/26- Florida State at Miami: This one could be an elimination game as to who gets to the league title game or just the first of two games as they may square off again in the league title game. Either way, this could be the most exciting matchup between these two teams in years.
ACC Scheduling Notes
..A bit of home; For all the TCU and SMU fans traveling to Palo Alto this year there is a Neiman Marcus in Palo Alto.
...Experience in Blacksburg; VaTech has 21 of a possible 24 returning starters including kickers this year.
...Before the moon landing; Syracuse hosts Stanford on 9/20 and it will be the first time a California school will visit Syracuse since 1968. Back on October 5, 1968 Syracuse beat UCLA, 20-7 at old Archbold Stadium.
...A short fling, long ago; Cal will travel to Pitt this year. The pair squared off five times from 1955-66, but haven't played each other since. The Panthers hold a 3-2 series lead.
...The ND factor; The ACC's friends with benefits relationship with ND continues this year as the Irish will play Florida State, Louisville, Georgia Tech, and Virginia. They also play Stanford, but that annual series goes back to when the Cardinal were Pac 12 members.
...Won't feel the same; Cal hosts Oregon State on 11/26. It will be the first time the Golden Bears and Beavers will play as non conference foes since 1905. Cal won that contest 10-0 a full seven years before a touchdown would be counted as six points and a full 10 years before the Pacific Coast Conference, the forerunner of the Pac 8/10/12 was formed.
...Early road Hokies; VaTech plays four of their first six games on the road.
...Late Road Cardinals; Louisville plays four of their last five games on the road which includes a three road game stretch at BC, Clemson and Stanford with only a bye week in-between.
...Duke despair; Its tough to be a Blue Devil. Stanford comes into your league poised to take the mantle away as the smartest school in the league and is ranked higher than you in football in season one. Ouch.
...So long ago; Cal plays at SMU to finish the regular season on 11/30. The two teams met once before in 1957 when the Southwest Conference member Mustangs beat the Pacific Coast Conference Golden Bears, 13-6 in Berkeley. Cal's QB that day was Joe Kapp.
...A double edged sword; Florida State starting the year with two conference games can go either way. Anything besides a 2-0 start could be devastating to the 'Noles.
Bonus Section: The Pac 1(2)
The Pac 12 does exist as a shell of itself as Oregon State and Washington State are allowed to operate as a league under NCAA rules until they figure out what conference they will end up in.
Top Pac 12 Out Of Conference Games
Just about everything is an OOC games, but the top two games are on 9/14 when OSU hosts Oregon and Wazzu takes on Washington at Lumen Field in Seattle. It's would be great to get a win against the arch rivals who dumped you for the Big Ten. Pain, anger and hatred makes a heated game. These games all be all that and more.
Top Pac 12 Conference Game
11/23- Washington State at Oregon State: It's the only conference game period and the winner here will claim their first conference crown in a while. Wazzu hasn't been the league champ since 2002 while Oregon State hasn't been the top of the league since 2000.
Until next time folks, remember that even though the stores are filled with pumpkin spice products, it's still summer. So go eat popsicle and find a nice spot in the shade.
-The Commissioner
