SEC Coaches Unite Against Nine-Game Schedule, But It's Helping Clear Up the CFP Picture
At a time when college football seems so irrevocably divided, SEC football coaches are united in their opposition to a nine-game conference schedule. However, as the season unfolds, it appears that the additional game may ultimately help clarify the College Football Playoff (CFP) picture.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wanted this ninth game, but coaches in the league didn't. "It will challenge our teams," Sankey said. "It will prepare them for the highest level of competition. It reflects who we are as a conference."
Missouri's Eliah Drinkwitz, who initially supported the nine-game schedule, has since expressed skepticism. "We're all saying it," Drinkwitz told reporters at SEC media days in Tampa, Florida. Coaches like LSU's Lane Kiffin have also spoken out against the additional game. "If we keep playing each other, we don't prove we're better than anyone else," Kiffin said.
Despite the initial resistance, the nine-game schedule is expected to provide valuable data for the CFP selection committee. In the two years of the 12-team playoff, the SEC garnered eight bids, the most of any conference. This additional game will give the committee more insight into the conference's hierarchy.
The more conference games teams play, the easier it is to determine an accurate hierarchy. As Blake Toppmeyer notes, "If every team played exclusively conference games, it becomes much easier to determine a league's pecking order." This is especially important for the SEC, which is likely to average about four bids per year in the 12-team format.
Coaches are among the first to complain about the committee, but they don't want to do the thing that'll help the committee do its job. The ninth SEC game will boost the chances that the three or four or five SEC teams that earn a bid are actually the three or four or five best teams from the SEC.
The additional game will also enhance the product for the people who pay the bills – the media partners and the fans. As Toppmeyer points out, "Television partners want conference clashes or marquee nonconference battles. They don't want games that'll be 31-0 by halftime." The nine-game schedule will provide more exciting matchups, which is a win for everyone involved.
The ninth SEC game will add some clarity to the standings, making it easier to determine an accurate hierarchy. This is especially important for the CFP selection committee, which will have a harder time determining the best teams from a conference with a weak schedule.
The season is now underway, and the nine-game schedule will play out as planned. The question remains whether the additional game will ultimately benefit the SEC or hinder it. Only time will tell.
Source: Yahoo Sports