It's Only SEC (but I like it....)
GEORGE SOMERVILLE – THE TOUCHDOWN SEC CORRESPONDENT
Saturday, 31st august 2024
Well, SEC fans, the wait is over! We are back! SEC football is upon us and the season is now up and running!
You will have noticed that we have rebranded our SEC weekly column to become It’s Only SEC (but I like it!), marking a new season and to reflect the new expanded SEC with 16 teams!
From today we start the long march to the SEC Championship game in Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta on December 7th. From there the College Football Play Off will expand to 12 teams leading us to the National Championship game which coincidentally will also be held in Atlanta on January 20th 2025!
By the time you read this both Mizzou and Arkansas have kicked off their seasons playing in the Thursday night slate.
But for the rest of the SEC, the season kicks off on Saturday. There is much to discuss about what has happened in and around the biggest and best conference in college football!
It’s great to be back and to welcome y’all to our weekly round up of life in the Southeastern Conference.
Here are this weeks headlines….
this weeks sec headlines
Vegas baby
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
While Georgia and Clemson may have something to say about being the headline clash of week one, it’s going to be hard to beat the LSU Tigers’ high-rolling into Las Vegas to play the USC Trojans on Sunday.
If ever there was a “money” game to open the SEC schedule, this would be high on the wishlist. Playing in the entertainment capital of the world adds some extra razzmatazz to week one, should it be required.
The hype for the game started last week, when the Las Vegas sphere lit up as an LSU Tigers helmet, and it has remained so ever since.
However, as glamorous as this game is, it has not been a regular fixture in the teams’ long-tenured histories. In fact, to date, they have only played twice, with the “series” tied at 1-1.
In preseason polls, the Tigers are ranked at #13, with the Trojans at #23. With this game being played in the Sportsbook capital of the world, we should really pay attention to the odds. As of the time of writing, the MGM Sportsbook has LSU as a 4.5pt favourite with an over/under at 50.5.
The LSU Tigers know a fast start is imperative and aren’t travelling to the West Coast for sightseeing or casino visits. No way. LSU LT Will Campbell had the quote of the week when he said,
“We know what we’re there for. It’s not to go to Caesar’s Place. It’s to be in a fist fight”.
Indeed. Buckle up. This should be a doozy.
#geauxtigers
Must win in florida
gainesville, fl
If the game in Las Vegas is the headline fixture, there is a game in Gainesville, the outcome of which will likely determine the course of the two coaches’ destiny this season. Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal and Florida’s Billy Napier need a win in this opening-day fixture. Hyperbole? It really isn’t.
Both are head coaches of Floridian schools with long-tenured winning histories. Both teams have struggled in recent years to live up to that reputation. Both head coaches have been brought in with proven and successful track records. Both teams’ fans are losing patience, and while early in the season, this does not bode well for the losing coach.
But add in the fact that the Florida Gators have the toughest schedule in college football, and Billy Napier’s job this year is near impossible.
The road after this game is more manageable for Cristobal than Napier, meaning a loss on the road for Miami is probably easier to recover from for the U. The Gators host Stamford next week before travelling to Starkville and then face UCF, Tennessee (road), Kentucky, Georgia (road) and Texas (road). If Florida gets off to a slow start, Napier might not still be in situ by the time they travel to Austin in early November, especially if there is a heavy loss to the Dawgs at the Cocktail Party.
And we haven’t even played a game yet. Sheesh.
“I think it’s brought an edge to our preparation” said Napier during the SEC’s first head coaches teleconference Wednesday.
“I think the way we’ve worked throughout the offseason noting that we had a big challenge ahead of us, and it’s made us better” Napier continued.
On the flip side, and to be positive for a moment, should the Gators come out of the traps flying, this schedule will catch the eye of the play-off committee and get them paying attention to the Gators. The ball is on your court, Gators.
Demarco Murray Suspended
Norman, ok
This week, disturbing news came out of Norman: the NCAA found Sooners running backs coach and ex-NFL running back Demarco Murray guilty of impermissible contact with recruits.
Per an NCAA release, “Murray impermissibly contacted 17 prospects over 16 months, including 65 impermissible phone calls and 36 impermissible text messages.”
The NCAA added that “Murray indicated that he was not aware that a COVID-19 waiver of recruiting contact rules had expired” even though “enforcement staff determined that the school had properly educated football coaches on the applicable recruiting rules and the timing of changes to them.”
Oklahoma already implemented self-imposed recruiting restrictions in 2023 and will face a three-week ban on phone and electronic correspondence after the 2024 regular season. Murray is to serve a one-game suspension.
Speaking during the SEC head coaches’ weekly teleconference, Sooners head coach Brent Venables addressed the situation publicly for the first time.
“There’s no doubt that I’m incredibly disappointed in what took place,” Venables said, “and I do know our staff works to be mindful of the rules, and we have parameters — very clear, strong parameters — that are in place, and unfortunately and completely unintentionally that wasn’t the case here. DeMarco knows that, he knows all of that, and he’s accepted responsibility. I know who he is. Things will still happen despite strong measures in place that try to protect you.”
Venables would not be drawn on when Murray will serve his suspension. However, Oklahoma will not play its first SEC game until 21 September, so it is safe to assume it will be in the three non-conference games before then.
Tigers & HOgs already up and running
Columbia, MO/ Little Rock, AR
By the time you read this, SEC football will already be up and running, with Mizzou and Arkansas having played on Thursday night. Oklahoma will play Temple on Friday night (but it’s too late to incorporate into this).
Mizzou kicked off its season against Murray State in a sold-out game at Memorial Stadium in Como. Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz challenged his fan base to come out in numbers for the season opener and back up the Tigers’ #11 pre-season ranking.
The demand for the opening game tickets resulted in the sixth straight sold-out game at the Memorial for Mizzou. Drink was pleased. Tiger fans were not disappointed with a 51-0 routing of their FCS opponents.
Arkansas also kicked off its season in state but not at home. Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman has been critical of playing neutral venue games, but on Wednesday, during the SEC coaches teleconference, he made it very clear that it remains important for Arkansas to support in-state football teams, which is why the Hogs faced off against Arkansas Pine Bluff on Thursday night.
Arkansas made light work of their in-state opponents, routing them with a 70-0 scoreline. The Hogs were 49-0 up at the half. While many will disparage the level of competition the Razorbacks faced, this was exactly the confidence booster and strong performance Pittman and his staff wanted to start the season.
New ABC theme music for SEC Games!
Charlotte, NC
With ABC taking over exclusive rights to show SEC games this fall, the new theme music—which causes more debate than you might think—was launched this week ahead of SEC football kicking off.
Per ESPN PR, the theme music has been reimagined for ESPN’s new 10-year media rights agreement with the Southeastern Conference, which makes ABC and ESPN platforms the exclusive home for SEC football.
The new music will be used exclusively on SEC home games on ABC, meaning it can be incorporated into more than just the 3:30 p.m. ET window. SEC home games in primetime during ABC Saturday Night Football and in the ABC noon ET window will also utilize this revamped theme.
“By reaching into the past and connecting with the present, ESPN is bringing a touch of tradition to a new era of televised SEC sports,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
Y’all excited for SEC football now?
GEORGE SOMERVILLE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WRITER
A GLASWEGIAN LIVING IN LONDON, GEORGE IS A COLLEGE FOOTBALL FAN WHO FOLLOWS THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. HE PROVIDES CFB CONTENT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN AND IS ONE THIRD OF THE COLLEGE CHAPS PODCAST.