It's all about the SEC

The NFL is back. There’s an American in the US Open final. And Team USA plays Germany today in the FIBA World Cup semifinals. It’s almost like you can just sit back and do nothing but watch sports all weekend.

Even more good news? We’ve got some college hoops news as well. Let’s dive in.

1. Who won the unbalanced SEC schedule release?

The SEC is the latest conference to announce its league schedule for the 2023-24 campaign, which commences Jan. 6. For the first time since 2012, there’s going to be a bye given to each program.

And they’ll need it, as the SEC is once again going to be loaded from top to bottom.

There are plenty of ways to digest the schedule, but one way I want to do it is by focusing on the projected preseason Top 25 teams that the Daily shared in Wednesday’s edition (read it if you haven’t yet). Eight programs got at least one vote, so let’s use that as a measuring stick.

Tennessee: 10 games against the other 7

The Vols have a brutal end stretch to league play, with home games versus Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Auburn, along with road battles at Missouri and Alabama. With five true road games against the top group, Tennessee will need to take care of business versus the likes of Vandy and South Carolina, both of whom it plays twice.

Arkansas: 9 games against the other 7

Just five true road games for the Hogs against the top group, but they also only have Vandy and South Carolina once each. Arkansas faces Missouri, LSU and Georgia twice, so how they fare against the projected mid-tier will decide their place in the standings.

Kentucky: 11 games against the other 7

Coach John Calipari’s league schedule is as hard as its non-con schedule, including six true road games against the top group. There’s a really tough stretch in the thick of SEC play: at Auburn and LSU, followed by Alabama, Mississippi State, and Arkansas from Feb. 17-March 2. And don’t forget, the Wildcats play Gonzaga at home on Feb. 10.

Texas A&M: 9 games against the other 7

Compared to the others, this is a fairly light schedule for the Aggies, having just four true road games against this group. Plus, they avoid a return trip to Kentucky. Still, it’s a fairly tough opening stretch to begin league play, taking on Auburn, Kentucky, and Arkansas in the first four games.

Alabama: 11 games against the other 7

Alabama has a tough road to repeat as regular-season champs. The key will be starting well, with Vandy, South Carolina, Mississippi State on the road, and Missouri at home. Begin 4-0 and there’s a chance.

Auburn: 9 games against the other 7

There’s no road trip to Kentucky, but the Tigers do have five true road clashes against the top group. That includes rival Alabama, whom they play twice in a five-game span in the middle of conference play. If they can get past Arkansas on the road, the Tigers could be 5-0 to start conference play.

Florida: 8 games against the other 7

The Gators want to avoid last season’s late collapse in SEC play. It’ll be doable this time around with road games against Vandy and South Carolina among the last three games.

Mississippi: 10 games against the other 7

Last season, the Bulldogs rebounded from a 1-7 start to SEC play for an NCAA Tournament berth. They’ll hope to get off to a better start, but three of the first four games will be tough, including Tennessee and Alabama, at home.

THE ALMANAC, VOL. 2

Required reading for the fall semester

Instead of slogging your way through The Faerie Queene or Gordon Wood’s pre-revolutionary utopia claptrap, why not dive into some worthwhile reading? Like The Almanac.

It’s the size of a textbook with 600,000 words about the upcoming season, including a detailed analysis of every D-I team. So it’ll look like homework, but it won’t feel like homework. If if you buy it before Sept. 20, it’s a helluva lot cheaper than a textbook at just $15.99.

Order The Almanac, Vol. 2 today.

2. Pitt loses another freshman

The offseason was good for the Panthers while it lasted. Last week, freshman Dior Johnson had his dismissal appeal related to a domestic violence incident denied by the university. Now, another freshman will miss the season, but for a more common reason.

Kante, a 4-star prospect, was set to be the third center on the depth chart behind returning big men, Federiko Federiko and Guillermo Diaz-Graham.

It’s not a brutal blow, but this will be a lost year of development for a big man viewed as a long-term project. It’s been an unfortunate theme in the Jeff Capel era. Almost every year since he arrived in Pittsburgh, the team has lost multiple players due to injuries, suspensions, or departures right before the season.

The Panthers overcame that last season with nine scholarship players to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. But the entire veteran backcourt is gone. And now the frontcourt, which is supposed to be the team’s strength, has taken a hit too.

3. Could the Mountain West turn into the Pac-12?

And you thought you were done with realignment news …

Cal and Stanford are off to the ACC, leaving just Oregon State and Washington State in the Pac-12. Those two aren’t headed to the AAC — the league wants Army for football only — so that leaves one likely option: The Mountain West.

However, it might not happen in the traditional sense.

So. First question: Why not just join the Mountain West? Well, it’s the money. Oregon State and Washington State are due to receive millions in NCAA distributions, as well as the Pac-12 emergency fund.

Additionally, the Pac-12 branding is more valuable than the Mountain West, though simply retaining the name with new schools won’t have the same media rights value.

Most importantly for the schools, there’s an auto-bid to the future 12-team college football playoff, which the MWC doesn’t currently have.

This would be the best of both worlds if this merger were to happen. Oregon State and Washington State can stay in their preferred conference and try to remain in the Power 5 category. And none of the Mountain West programs have to worry about a buyout (looking at San Diego State) while upgrading in conference prestige.

It also would be the clear top league out west, which could maybe open the door down the road for a team like Gonzaga if the conference is looking to improve the basketball inventory.

New roster, same expectations

Arkansas turned over most of its roster — again — as it preps for the 2023-24 season. Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster discuss the new pieces, whether they’re good enough to compete for an SEC title, and, what the potential issues might be in this Offseason Grades episode.

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Links as you daydream about Ben Shelton beating Novak Djokovic.

• The Big Ten is never, ever, ever going back to divisions.

• Want to watch some of the prospects not headed to college hoops? Here’s a G League Ignite primer for its Las Vegas games.

• UNC football player Tez Walker was denied an eligibility waiver by the NCAA. We might see the same in hoops.

• Could college athletes be impacted by overtime pay reforms?

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected].