SEC Pre-Season Home and Away SOS

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Home Opp                     Away Opp         
VAN   41   23   0.641       OM   47   18   0.723
A&M   66   38   0.635      ALA   36   16   0.692
ARK   49   29   0.628      ARK   44   22   0.667
GEO   47   29   0.618      USC   41   24   0.631
KTY   55   33   0.625      LSU   41   24   0.631
AUB   45   31   0.592      TEN   22   15   0.595
MSU   46   32   0.590      KTY   30   21   0.588
TEN   59   45   0.567       FLA   30   21   0.588
USC   42   33   0.560      VAN   44   32   0.579
ALA   41   35   0.539      MSU   37   28   0.569
MIZ   41   35   0.539      GEO   36   28   0.563
LSU   40   36   0.526      AUB   28   23   0.549
FLA   45   44   0.506      A&M   20   18   0.526
OM   34   42   0.447       MIZ   32   30   0.516

Texas A&M-Maybe the easiest schedule in the SEC given that their first 6 games are played in the state of Texas (AZ State in Houston, Ball State, Nevada, the Hogs in Arlington, Miss St, an Open Date and then Alabama at home). After that they have a road date at Ole Miss and then back home for S. Carolina, Auburn and W. Carolina, before finishing at Vanderbilt and LSU. Granted that they will play some good teams but would we rather play them in-state (whether our home stadium or not) or in their house? If anyone is counting that is 9 of their 12 games played within the confines of Texas.

Missouri-There is something to be said for their schedule as well, but it isn't as much about how the schedule aligns, as it is about who they play and where. Missouri opens with SE Missouri State then travels to Arkansas State. Then back home for UCONN (2-10 last year), then at Kentucky, back home with S. Carolina and the next week at home against Florida. Then at Georgia and Vanderbilt in back to back weeks before having an open date prior to entertaining Miss St in Columbia and BYU the following week in Kansas City (tell me this isn't a home game for Mizzou) and Tennessee in Columbia the following week. That leaves them to end the season in Fayetteville vs. the Hogs. Again, they play some tough teams but mostly at home. Their biggest road challenges will be Georgia and Arkansas..

Georgia-Their schedule aligns nicely with UL Monroe at home, Vandy at Vanderbilt, S. Carolina at home (which could be a little dicey) then Southern University at home prior to entertaining Alabama. A pivotal game for Georgia. Then it is off to Tennessee in Knoxville and the next week back home with Missouri followed by an open date prior to the giant cocktail party vs. a reorganizing Florida team in Jacksonville. Then they get Kentucky at home before playing Auburn at Auburn, followed by Ga. Southern at home prior to playing Georgia Tech to end the year, in Atlanta. Does Georgia trend up or down? I think they usually go 2 years of double digit wins and 2 years of single digit, then back to double digit, so I am thinking they could win 10 or more again this year.

Alabama-I won't go into their entire schedule but their road games are going to be tough for them. Wisconsin at Arlington, Georgia at Georgia, A&M in College Station, Miss State in Starkville and Auburn at Auburn. Fortunately for them they get Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU at home, despite the fact that none of those are guaranteed wins. You would rather play that line-up at home than on the road. Do they go to the SECCG again? If they do, they will surely have earned it under less than a favorable schedule.

Arkansas-I guess our schedule aligns about as good as it can for someone who has the toughest pre-season SOS in the SEC again. We open with three games against teams that aren't in the SEC (which is a good way to start) with UTEP, Toledo and Texas Tech, all at home. Then two weeks on the road with Tennessee (probably a tougher game than many expect) and Alabama, who is always tough. But then we get an open date prior to playing Auburn in Fayetteville and after Auburn, we get UT-Martin at home which will be like an additional open date prior to traveling to Oxford to play Ole Miss. Then it is off to Baton Rouge to play what will be a P.O.'d LSU team before coming home to entertain Miss State and Missouri in back to back weeks to end the season. So 3 at home, 3 on the road, an open date, 2 at home (with an open date included) then 2 on the road and then 2 at home. It lays out about as well as it could.

Missouri could have 10 or 11 wins by the time we face them the last game of the season. They have the softest schedule of any SEC team.

Based on this and your own research, who do you see having the easiest road to the top of the SEC East and SEC West?

[DeltaBoy]

The Zoo in the EAST and TAMU in the West.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

The Zoo in the EAST and TAMU in the West.

Their schedules certainly make that a possibility. On the other hand, maybe we knock Mizzou out of the SECCG in Fayetteville this year?

[Atlhogfan1]

When hasn't Mizzou had the "easiest" schedule especially when you factor in the condition of the opponents in terms of injuries and suspensions?  Four seasons into an SEC schedule and no LSU or AU in the regular season and Bama only once.  Good way to not only win but to remain healthy as well.  Two of their more physical games this season will be towards the end with BYU and the Hogs. 

Good point on our game in Dallas.  Even though not on A&M's campus, it is still in Texas for them.  Meanwhile, we only have 3 SEC home games, no home games for over a month and our road trips are to 3 of the toughest environments in the conference to play in and Oxford where we rarely play well.  I've never been a fan of the game in Dallas and especially not the length of the series.  At least we don't have to start off like we did last season. 

[MuskogeeHogFan]

When hasn't Mizzou had the "easiest" schedule especially when you factor in the condition of the opponents in terms of injuries and suspensions?  Four seasons into an SEC schedule and no LSU or AU in the regular season and Bama only once.  Good way to not only win but to remain healthy as well.  Two of their more physical games this season will be towards the end with BYU and the Hogs. 

Good point on our game in Dallas.  Even though not on A&M's campus, it is still in Texas for them.  Meanwhile, we only have 3 SEC home games, no home games for over a month and our road trips are to 3 of the toughest environments in the conference to play in and Oxford where we rarely play well.  I've never been a fan of the game in Dallas and especially not the length of the series.  At least we don't have to start off like we did last season. 

Not taking up for them by any means, but here are the ranked teams they faced their first 3 years in the conference.


5-7   2012   Home       2           2 top 10 teams at home
                 Away       3           3 top 10 teams on the road
12-2  2013   Home      3            3 top 25 teams at home
                 Away       4           1 top 10 and 1 top 25 team on the road & 1 top 10 in the SECCG & 1 top 20 team in their                                                 bowl game
11-3  2014  Home       1           1 top 20 team at home
                 Away       4           1 top 20 & 1 top 25 team on the road, a top 10 team in the SECCG and a top 25 team                                                    in their bowl game
                               17 Total Ranked Opponents

[Atlhogfan1]

Not taking up for them by any means, but here are the ranked teams they faced their first 3 years in the conference.


5-7   2012   Home       2           2 top 10 teams at home
                 Away       3           3 top 10 teams on the road
12-2  2013   Home      3            3 top 25 teams at home
                 Away       4           1 top 10 and 1 top 25 team on the road & 1 top 10 in the SECCG & 1 top 20 team in their                                                 bowl game
11-3  2014  Home       1           1 top 20 team at home
                 Away       4           1 top 20 & 1 top 25 team on the road, a top 10 team in the SECCG and a top 25 team                                                    in their bowl game
                               17 Total Ranked Opponents

You are adding SEC CGs and bowls which aren't a part of the schedule.

The bad fortune they had along with tough schedule in their first season has more than reversed the last two. 

[MuskogeeHogFan]

You are adding SEC CGs and bowls which aren't a part of the schedule.

The bad fortune they had along with tough schedule in their first season has more than reversed the last two. 

Well, yeah I did, but it is clearly stated so anyone can pull those out if they wish. In any case, compared to our schedule against ranked teams during the regular season, you can easily see the difference. Looks like it could be the same again this year.