Sam Pittman weighs in on SEC schedule talk
The hot topic of debate coming from the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida, is whether football teams in the conference should play eight or nine games against other SEC teams.
With Oklahoma and Texas officially joining the conference ahead of the 2024 season, future scheduling has been on the forefront of conversations.
Other conferences such as the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 have all adopted the nine-game conference schedule, but the SEC has remained with eight. The addition of the Sooners and Longhorns caused the conference to narrow down their list to two options for the future.
The first option is sticking with an eight-game schedule and teams will play one permanent rival with seven rotation opponents. The second option would be a nine-game schedule with three permanent rivals and six rotating opponents.
Originally, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman sided with the nine-game schedule, but he said he ended up liking eight better.
"I don’t really have a preference right now," Pittman told reporters Wednesday. "I did. I wanted the nine, but I’ve kind of changed my mind. I don’t think it really matters."
Though it's been reported that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, along with a select few teams, prefers the nine-game model, others feel as though nine games would hurt the chances of making a bowl game. Pittman said he views it along the same lines of that.
"If you added another game you’re also adding eight more losses in the league," Pittman said. "That’s not to say we can’t get beat by somebody outside the league, but you’re guaranteeing eight more losses in the league. Will that hurt us? Probably not as bad because they’re going to expand the playoffs.
"One of the compelling arguments was that it’s not broke. We’re playing eight right now. Now, we are going to end up being a total SEC and not a West and an East. We’re playing for the title right now. So, I don’t know what they’re going to do. Whatever it is, we’ll be fine with it."
The line "it's not broke" is what stuck with Pittman, he said. Playing eight games has worked fine and the conference has had no issue winning the national championship. Even still, something has to change, because the schedule can't remain at eight games with six games against division opponents and two cross-division matchups.
"They’re changing everything," Pittman said. "It’s not the West and the East anymore, so now you’re going to have a little bit more equality off of past records. So I guess it all just depends on who you like in your pod.
"I think it’s going to be a little bit of proximity. Like I believe we’d play Texas, because that’d bring back that rivalry. Probably Missouri and then whomever. Maybe Ole Miss or somebody. I like that. Me personally, I like that schedule."
After playing a potential pod against the likes of Texas, Missouri and Ole Miss, along with six other SEC opponents, Pittman isn't a fan of having to then still play games against potential Power Five opponents.
"I don’t know if I’d want to play a whole bunch of Power Five teams after playing a nine-game SEC (schedule)," Pittman said. "You know, we played 10 my first year. I was looking for them other three (non-conference games). Where are they? They never showed up."
Remember how tough that 2020 covid-shortened season was? It was Pittman's first season as the head coach at Arkansas and he was dealt a hand of a 10-game conference only schedule. The Razorbacks went 3-7 with some positive moments, but it was an absolute gauntlet.
To Pittman, sticking to just eight conference games seems to be the best scenario.
"I just wanted the kids the opportunity, and the fans, to go to Tennessee and Tennessee come here in a four-year season," Pittman said. "Or go to Georgia and Georgia come here in a four year. I think it’s good for the game."
On the other hand, a nine-game schedule allows teams to play each other with more frequency and it allows the preservation of storied rivalries in the conference. There's also the chance of extra revenue from ESPN — who will starts an exclusive deal with the SEC in 2024 — but there is no official report that the network would pay for that.
If there is a vote held this week on the matter, it will take just an 8-6 majority to push a change through. Officials from Texas and Oklahoma are in attendance at the meetings, but will not participate in any votes.
Arkansas learned the kickoff times of its first three games this fall on Wednesday and the Week 1 matchup against Western Carolina on Sept. 2 was set for 3 p.m. CT at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network+ or ESPN+.
*Quotes provided by Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com