For years, the SEC has enjoyed a bit of an advantage over other conferences when it comes to record, rankings, and strength of schedule: they played fewer conference games.
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they → enjoy → games
The Pac-12, when that conference existed in its previous form, for example, played nine games against other conference teams.
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conference → exist → teams
So did the Big Ten.
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Ten → do → ?
The SEC, however, had just eight.
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SEC → have → eight
With four non-conference opponents, some schools could choose to schedule four likely wins, before entering SEC play.
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schools → choose → play
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page → contain → partners
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News → sign → wager
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that → create → newsroom
Four games in which they'd be overwhelming favorites, four wins secured before conference play started.
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play → secure → which
Missouri proceeded to win just four conference games, 29-20 over South Carolina, 23-17 over Auburn in double overtime, a 49-27 win over Mississippi State, and 31-17 over Arkansas.
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Missouri → proceed → Arkansas
But, thanks in large part to their four scheduled wins, the Tigers remained in the AP Poll for most of the season, providing a "ranked" opponent for Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
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Tigers → schedule → A&M
They did not beat a team that finished the season with a winning record on their way to finishing 8-4.
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that → beat → way
Incredibly, with this resume, the Tigers were ranked in 12 of 16 polls during the regular season.
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Tigers → rank → season
8-4 doesn't look bad, does it?
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it → look → ?
That's a solid season in a tough conference, if you aren't paying close attention.
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you → pay → attention
Now remove one of those scheduled non-conference wins, and suddenly the road to 8-4 looks a lot harder.
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road → remove → 8
Which is the point other conferences made when arguing against the SEC's endless complaints about strength of schedule.
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conferences → make → schedule
Well, for 2026, the SEC finally moved to nine conference games and eliminated the "extra" win many of the member programs used to their advantage.
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many → move → advantage
And even through just a few weeks of conference play, new LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin is already using it as an excuse.
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Kiffin → use → excuse
Ahead of last weekend's matchup against Texas A&M, Kiffin complained sarcastically, and inaccurately, about the perceived scheduling issues hurting the Tigers with Marcel
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Kiffin → complain → Marcel
"Obviously we just played the best one in the country last week thinking he can hurt you even when you have the right call on and everybody covered and a guy comes free," he said.
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he → play → you
"Obviously he (Chambliss) played great a year ago here in the stadium, so this is one of those scheduling quirks just like last week where never in that LSU-Ole Miss series had it ever been played two times in a row.
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it → play → row
That was, of course, incorrect, but Kiffin wasn't done there in going after the SEC for its scheduling practices.
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Kiffin → do → practices
LSU is dealing with its fair share of injuries through the first few weeks of the season, including to star linebacker Whit Wheeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green.
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LSU → deal → Wheeks
Which is odd because his team has played just two conference games so far.
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team → play → games
Smith posted that Kiffin explained that it's an indication of the differences "versus other conferences, and how (they) don’t have to play players or play them as long."
"Be careful what you wish for, SEC," Kiffin said.
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Kiffin → post → what
There is no outcome that doesn't have a predetermined excuse.
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that → be → excuse
No other schools face injuries.
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schools → face → injuries
No other games require playing starters.
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games → require → starters
When the SEC had eight conference games, it wasn't an advantage, but with nine, they're at a significant disadvantage.
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they → have → disadvantage
Even when they've only played two conference games so far.
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they → play → games
The Tigers shouldn't have much to worry about with powerhouse McNeese State coming into town next weekend either.
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State → have → town
Curiously, Kiffin never addresses the impact of travel, rest, and recovery on other conferences.
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Kiffin → address → conferences
Like, for example, USC, which played a road game in New Jersey, then turned around and played a home game in LA a week later.
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which → play → LA
That stuff matters as Kiffin would say if it were impacting his team.
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it → matter → team
UCLA has road games traveling 8,120 one-way miles.
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UCLA → have → miles
The "woe is me" act Kiffin puts on might be effective for the SEC boosters in friendly media outlets.
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Kiffin → put → outlets
It's just not backed up by any reality we live in.
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we → back → reality
But it's a near-certainty he'll be running the same playbook after the season to try and get the SEC back to eight conference games.
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he → run → games
Then he'll find something else to complain about.
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he → find → something
The Aporia
