2016 SEC Football Schedule Set for Release Tonight

By Kevin Kelley -

The 2016 SEC Football Schedule is set for release tonight, the conference has announced on their Twitter accounts.

The schedule will be announced tonight at 6:30pm ET on SEC Now on the SEC Network. It will then be posted to their website.

We will have our 2016 SEC schedules updated shortly afterwards. Below are links to all 14 schedules for next season which already indicate non-conference opponents for each team.

East Division

West Division

Comments (19)

The SEC is still at 8 conference games. Looking at some of the SEC teams’ schedules, I’m interested to see if there is any more information that comes out in addition to the full 2016 conference schedule.

Florida only has three non-conference games scheduled.

Tennessee has four non-conference teams scheduled, but the Ohio game date is TBA.

Arkansas only has three non-conference teams scheduled, and one of those, TCU, has a game date TBA.

Mississippi State has four non-conference teams scheduled, but the Samford game date is TBA.

The dates for the TBA’s should be revealed by the school releases. Also, if a school is lacking an opponent it will be announced tonight if they have already contracted the game.

The reason they don’t have a game scheduled is because they want to schedule another FCS team… When will the SEC start scheduling these games:
1) Out of conference home and home games with Power 5 teams?
2.) At least 1 away game out of conference?
3.) No more FCS teams, which they hardly ever used to play prior to 2006?
4.) 10 Power 5 opponents or 9 conference games?

I’m sorry, but until the SEC starts scheduling Fair & Balanced schedules like how the rest of the Power 5 teams are scheduling (A minimum of 10 power 5 games), then people will continue to scream SEC Bias.

Sorry, but the “rest” of the Power Five teams aren’t doing this. Currently, there are only 2 SEC teams in the AP Top 10 and they still haven’t played each other. Doesn’t appear to be any bias.

Have you not seen the future schedules of home & home the SEC has? One away game out of conference is the same thing, some SEC teams play neutral site games out of conference. Some of the FCS teams are pretty tough, just ask the P5 teams from all conferences that have lost to them this year & in years past. Not sure what people are screaming SEC bias.

Did you really just say some FCS teams teams are tough? *Laughing at you*

If the SEC is so great, play 10 power 5 teams like everyone else. Don’t make excuses like “we need to help these schools,” (no you don’t), “Neutral site games are road games,” (no they’re not), “SEC bias isn’t real,” (yes it is).

It’s basic statistics, by playing a weak OOC schedule (maybe 1 P5 and 3 cupcakes) and only 8 conference games, you manipulate ratings like FPI, Sagarin, and others that place too much emphasis on wins despite schedules not matching up.

Laugh all you want too, there are plenty of tough FCS teams out there that can take P5 schools down to the wire or even win. The SEC is great, just cause you don’t like them & luv to bash them really means nothing. Technically neutral sites are road games, they may not be true road games but they are road games. FCS teams do get a nice little paycheck, everyone has a different opinion on that. Still don’t see SEC bias. At the end of the year it comes down to 4 teams in the playoffs, you can find easy teams to beat in any conference on any schedule. When or if the SEC feels it needs to go to 9 conference game, it will. Just cause you play 9 conferences games does not mean that much besides you are beating out your conference even more. When BIG goes to 9 games that just means OSU now adds on a Purdue, really? Bama would add on a Vandy, great! Can’t wait to see those games, what you don’t understand is that all conferences are changes their games & schedules for the future. It will all balance out in the end.

Hey Common,
It is an interesting read but ESPN has no control over wins & loses, my point last year you had four teams from four different conferences in playoffs, there was a lot of talk about two SEC teams getting in, did not happen. It all balances out in the end. If I was part owner of ESPN I too would’ve gone after the SEC, why. There is a passion among southern fans for college football like nowhere else, I’m not bashing any other conference. I enjoy watching all conferences play, PAC-12, BIG, Big-12, ACC but in the SEC the head & assist coaches make more, recruiting is better, NFL players drafted is better, I would say the games are better (for me) but if you’re from another conference then you will think your conference has better games, to each its own. I’m not worried about what a journalist or a blogger, columnist is doing when they use words to make the win or lose more insightful, I’m sure the PAC-12 Network praises the teams in the PAC-12 & calls them the best, same with BIG Network, ACC Network, Longhorn Network praises TEXAS. I heard a lot of bias when the Longhorn Network came out, did not bother me at all, good for Texas. I can see why ESPN chose SEC, they made almost five billions last year for the network, I don’t think ESPN could of done that with any other conference. ESPN is a business, if they think they can make money with the PAC-12 Network then they will go after them as well, I think they are struggling a little bit but I could be wrong. I guess I just don’t listen or look at the SEC bias like everybody else does, it just seems to me that people luv to bash what they don’t have or they find something to complain about. Bias is everywhere, I don’t let it get to me, if ESPN annalist wants to praise SEC, what does it matter? ESPN has praised USC, OSU, FSU, Oklahoma, Texas in the past, I have heard it & read articles. We are still going to get four teams from four different conferences in the playoffs.

Day,
I know. I agree. I’m just proving a point that bias does exist, that the influence of ESPN draws recruits into the SEC, and it tries to hammer home investigations on schools that threaten the SEC (USC, ND, and FSU), etc… The SEC bias is bad for the integrity of college football.

Yes, they don’t influence wins and losses. Obviously. That is a given. But when the schedules are only 8-9 power 5 games in the SEC and in all the other conferences it is usually between 8-11, then what you’ve now created is a scheduling competitive edge in gaining higher rankings.

No one is saying the SEC sucks. NO ONE. We all agree with you. When you win the big game, you are the champ. Period. But now that the SEC reign is over, let’s start admitting that Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan State and Stanford are, right now, the new kings along with Alabama and LSU. (Florida and Clemson are almost there).

Most people have no problem scheduling the SEC. It just seems that the SEC has a problem scheduling anyone other than the SEC, then using the excuse that we are so tired and beat up from playing each other, when in fact, that is what every conference is saying and feeling. I beg you, please don’t argue that that is true, when in fact, last year Indiana beat SEC east champ Mizzou and your bowl record last year.

DAY, why don’t you want your teams to play the best schedules possible? Is it fun beating up on a really week team that only has 65 2-star scholarship players? It’s hurting football for everyone. We all want to see SEC vs. Pac 12. Big 12 vs. ACC, Big 10 vs. SEC. Pac 12 vs. Big 12, etc…. It is GREAT for Saturdays.

Common,
I respect your opinion but the SEC has been recruiting outstanding football players & sending them off to the NFL way before ESPN or SEC Network. Kids are influenced by many different things, such as how much playing time they will get, will they start, how often will they be seen on TV, Nike & Oregon influence kids by having over a thousand different designs on their jerseys, so do many other teams now with all the glitter & nice shiny chrome helmets. As for home investigations on other conferences caused by SEC & ESPN, really? Please go back & see how many times the SEC has been investigated by the NCAA, Bama, Auburn, Florida, S.Carolina, Ole Miss, Miss St have gotten hit with probation in the last 20yrs. I don’t think there is nothing the SEC is doing that hurts college football, playing FCS is not hurting college football & the SEC is not the only conference that does it, I have no control over the scheduling so I don’t complain about it & frankly it does not bother me. You seem to say the SEC plays 4 cupcakes a year, which SEC team would this actually be? You keep bringing up the Indiana win over Mizz, that’s fine, please remember The Ohio State lost to a declining Va.tech team & still won the national championship. Va.tech is 26-22 in the last 4yrs, you think The Hokies could survive in the BIG or SEC right now? I think Saturdays are great & enjoy watching all football games from all conferences, keep in mind that college football second behind NFL in TV rankings for sports. You seem very passionate about college football but I think you are laying into the SEC a little hard, other conferences do the same thing the SEC does but of course the big bad SEC gets called out for it. I don’t think that FSU. Oregon or Buckeyes thought the SEC was bias when they got in the playoffs nor do I think they were even worried about it, they earned it & they did not go on a blame game or its unfair your (say) how bias the SEC is, they worked their butts off to get there, plain & simple.

Day,
I love that you are passionate about defending the SEC. I’m not trying to convince you personally, as it doesn’t bother you personally. However, it bothers everyone that screams SEC bias… Just look at the schedules right now and records. The team with the best individual resume going into this college football is not anyone you would expect. No, it’s not Ohio State, MSU, LSU, Baylor, TCU, Ok State, Stanford, ND, Alabama, Florida, Houston, Memphis or Temple… It’s actually from the Big 10 West Division. IOWA with 3 quality wins. They have defeated Pitt (6-2, only other loss to UNC), Northwestern (6-2, only other lost to Michigan; also, beat Stanford and Duke), and Wisconsin (6-2, only other loss @ Alabama).

I could give less of a cahoot of any team in the Big 10, as it’s not my conference. However, as of right now, the Big 10 is the best conference in football, and as Pac 12 fan, it hurts for me to admit it, as I don’t think they have the best athletes from top to bottom as teams in the SEC and Pac 12. However, a team is far greater than a group of individuals. There’s a coach too, and since SEC domination, the other teams caught up and started paying coaches. Of the 5 best coaches in college football, three are in the Big 10 (Urban Meyer, Jim Harbaugh, and Mark Dantonio), the other 2 (Nick Saban and Jimbo Fischer). Times have changed.

The Pac 12 plays 9 conference games and encourages their teams to play at least 1 Power 5 out of conference. Some play 2 or even 3 for some years. Yes, a few play FCS teams, but when you’re playing at least 10 Power 5 games compared to 8 for other conferences (SEC and ACC), I let it slide. They also play a conference title game.

The Big 10 stopped scheduling FCS teams, increased conference games to 9 games, and they are requiring teams to play at least 1 Power 5 OOC… Also, this is a side note, but the AAC, MW and MAC are way better conferences than C-USA and the Sunbelt. Only the consensus of the SEC schedules FCS, Sunbelt, and C-USA games. They also play a title game.

Big 12 plays 9 conference games. The conference as a whole averages 10 Power 5 games per team, unlike the SEC. Some FCS games. Most are not. They also travel for out of conference games to opposing teams’ stadiums. I know you like to mention a neutral game is similar to an away game, but that’s just ridiculous and untrue. They don’t play a title game due to NCAA rules. Even so, it’s still a harder individual conference than the SEC with 8 games and only 2 teams plays in title game.

ACC plays 8 conference games. Almost every plays at least 1 Power 5 OOC. Most play 2. They also play a conference game.

SEC plays 8 conference games (for polarity of Home and Away, which does make sense). However, if you love neutral site games, then maybe 1 of those games each year can be played at neutral site. What do you think of that compromise?!?! Most SEC teams play at least 1 Power 5 game. Hardly any play 2. If they do play 2, it’s coming from the SEC East, thanks to state game tie-ins. The SEC plays a title game.

Honestly, I want to see the SEC East call out the SEC West for weak scheduling. They have a much tougher slate of OOC conference games each year, thanks to their state game tie-ins.

Congras to Iowa, Pitt & N.Carolina, taking nothing away from them at all but looking at their schedules I can see why they are doing so well. I actually have Iowa dancing to the BIG championship since they don’t have to play MSU, MIch or OSU. Then I have the Hawkeyes getting smashed by either MSU. Mich or OSU in title game. Pitt & Tar Heels are in a weak division plus don’t have to play Clemson or FSU, whoever makes it out to the ACC championship game does not have a chance against the Tigers or Seminoles (just my opinion, not fact). But of course the games are played on the field & this is the time the REAL upsets happen, just when you think your going undefeated or will make it to that conference championship game, you don’t! As any conference the SEC is a whole & I clearly doubt the east will call out the west, east has four OOC rivalry games which is great for OOC cause the games are always good. West rivalry games are played in conference which in my opinion is great for the conference. Now if we could just get the Texas vs Texas A&M game back, one of the greatest rivalries, that would be nice!

I don’t understand why the SEC is such a hurry to announce the football schedule for 2016 and all the teams don’t have 4 non conference games, and teams don’t have dates for all there non conference games. Last year they announced the schedule before Mizzou had a 4th non conference game. Wait till the season is over!

I was actually pleasantly surprised. Every team has a Power 5, out of conference team. Florida, with Florida State. Georgia, with North Carolina and Georgia Tech. Kentucky, with Louisville. Missouri, with West Virginia. South Carolina, with Clemson. Tennessee, with Virginia Tech. Vanderbilt, with Georgia Tech. Alabama, with USC. Arkansas, with TCU. Auburn, with Clemson. LSU, with Wisconsin. Mississippi State, with BYU (they’re technically not a Power 5 team, but they’re good enough). Ole Miss, with Florida State. Finally, Texas A&M, with UCLA. I’m excited for next season.

It’s about time, right?

The next steps:
1.) Schedule 9 conference games (or, if you want a balanced conference schedule, schedule 10 total Power 5 teams).
2.) Eliminate FCS games.