PRESS PICKS (Week 5): With added game, SEC meat grinder sharpens blades (and not for the better)
STAFF REPORT
The thrilling announcement of another blemish on the game of college football appeared this week with the SEC making it official that the league was going to a nine-game conference schedule
The SEC Network brought out its best talking talent to praise the idea of more losses for the members. “It’s good for the game,” according to all involved. (Read that as more money!!!)
Then again, the network would celebrate the lancing of a boil on Kirby Smart’s derriere.
All of this sets up nicely for a three-loss champion, doesn’t it?
Sure, nine games puts the league more in line with the other conferences so there’s no more crying in the sport. (The ACC followed suit hours later after the SEC announced three permanent members for each team.)
But could someone please provide proof that everybody’s equal now?
Where is the parallel to the Big 10’s Purdue, which traditionally celebrates five-win seasons on an annual basis? Or new ACC member Cal (sorry Auburn fans), which hasn’t had a winning season in six years?
Rutgers? Colorado? Pitt? All have moments of glory but the overall annals has a certain fragrance of a dirty sock that somehow missed the washer for a few weeks. The longer it sits, the worse it gets.
Yeah, Vanderbilt exists. So does Kentucky and (lately) Arkansas. Every league has its lemons but some lemons have a more pronounced flavor.
We are all happy to see Indiana provide a spark and has proven you can rise from the abyss and distort a solid season with cupcake central on its schedule.
But will it last? Give Curt Cignetti a couple more years and a big boy will come calling and he’ll be out the door.
You want to talk NIL? Sure, when the leagues fall in line with new schemes to make it work in their favor, or when those schools like Texas Tech and Central Florida realize you can’t spend your way to the top (at least consistently), the practice of passing out big money will slowly return to the old days. And if it doesn’t, the big leagues will bolt, not out of fear but affluence.
But back to the SEC… there is no guarantee the league will be more pronounced with an added league game. Eight times in the meat grinder is different than swimming in the shallow end of the pool almost every week. Penn State is a perfect example. The Nittany Lions can handle the average but when sovereignty shows up, they bow in a heartbeat.
It explains how pretenders like TCU in ’22 and Indiana and SMU last year could be propped up for a playoff berth and then look so bad against authentic competition.
The SEC may, one day, decide it doesn’t like the set up of the playoff and take its ball and go somewhere else. TV wants the league to walk like and talk like the NFL.
But the reality states that’s not possible, for obvious reasons. So both entities (TV and SEC) need to quit acting like it is, else the golden goose may find its head laying beside the chopping block.
2025 Standings (Last week)
1. Michael Butler 57-18 (11-4).760
2. Tim Gayle 51-24 (7-8) .680
Graham Dunn 51-24 (11-4) .680
Barry McKnight 51-24 (11-4) .680
5. Wesley Lyle 49-26 (7-8) .653
Rick Hendrick 49-26 (11-4) .653
Mike Peacock 49-26 (9-6) .653
8. Doug Amos 48-27 (8-7) .640
9. Lindsey Bonner 46-29 (11-4) .613
10. Rosie Langello 44-31 (10-5) .587
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
57-18 (11-4).760
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Oregon
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - TCU
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
51-24 (7-8) .680
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Arkansas
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - Arizona St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
51-24 (11-4) .680
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - Illinois
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - TCU
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
51-24 (11-4) .680
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Luverne
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Oregon
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - Arizona St
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
49-26 (7-8) .653
Pike Road at Opelika - Pike Road
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - Arizona St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio-Color)
49-26 (9-6) .653
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - Illinois
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - TCU
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
49-26 (11-4) .653
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
JAG vs. P. Julian - JAG
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - St. James
Alabama at Georgia - Alabama
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - Kentucky
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Iowa
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - Arizona St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
48-27 (8-7) .640
Pike Road at Opelika - Opelika
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - JAG
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Auburn
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Oregon
USC at Illinois - Illinois
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - Arizona St
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
46-29 (11-4) .613
Pike Road at Opelika - Pike Road
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - LSU
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Arkansas
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - TCU
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
44-31 (10-5) .587
Pike Road at Opelika - Pike Road
Eufaula at Wetumpka - Eufaula
JAG vs. P. Julian - Julian
Luverne at Montgomery Academy - Montgomery Academy
Trinity at St. James - Trinity
Alabama at Georgia - Georgia
Auburn at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Kentucky at South Carolina - South Carolina
Notre Dame at Arkansas - Notre Dame
Tennessee at Miss St - Tennessee
Oregon at Penn St - Penn St
USC at Illinois - USC
Indiana at Iowa - Indiana
TCU at Arizona St (Fri) - TCU