SEC Rivalries must stay!

UPDATE: SEC GOING TO THE 6-1-1 FORMAT KEEPING THE RIVALRIES SAFE!!!

Rivalries are the one thing that really makes college football so special. Sure there is the Red Soxs vs Yankees or Celtics vs Lakers rivalries, but college rivalries can't be matched by any pro sport. The pageantry and emotions of a college football rivalries run so deep especial in the south were you have to declare your side at birth, but conference realignment is forcing college football to change right down to one of the main things that makes it so special.

I was all for conference realignment a few years back because I wanted to see some change, I wanted to see my team play someone new, but now I cringe every time a new school is rumored to be moving. I wrote a few weeks back about how realignment was weakening college football Link: college football expansion stronger or weaker? 

Texas vs Texas A&M, West Virgina vs Pitt are just some of the rivalries that were losing because of realignment and now Alabama vs Tennessee, Auburn vs Georgia and Florida vs LSU are on the chopping block.

Alabama vs Tennessee "Third Saturday in October" has been played since 1901, but with the SEC having to change up scheduling for added Missouri and Texas A&M it could be moved to every other year! Most say well it hasn't been a great series of late; of which I disagree. What about "Rocky Stop" where Roman Harper used his helmet to knock to ball lose as the Vols where about to score the game winning touchdown. Even better memories as of late was Mt Cody blocking not one but two fields goals to preserve to prefect season. Soon we might have to change the name to "Third Saturday in October Every Other Year"

Auburn vs Georgia "Deep Souths Oldest Rivalry" This game has been played a 115 times since 1892, but now we might only get to write its newest chapters every other year. Auburn would only be going between the hedges once every four years, and is that something that needs to happen in the oldest rivalry? NO.

Just think about how good the Florida vs LSU games have been over the past ten years. EPIC. Who wants to get rid of the game that Les Miles went for it on 4th down over and over again? This game is a staple of college football, and every year its a must watch. Soon sadly it might only get circled on the calender every other year.

I don't know what the solution is going to be. You could go to 9 SEC games and only 3 non conference games, but the SEC is already a gauntlet of games playing at 8. Some say do away with the East/West and just have a 14 team SEC and let the two top teams play in the SEC championship game. I'm not sure what the solution is to the realignment headache is but it has to be figured out. Rivalries must be kept alive and played every season.

-Patrick Pierce

Follow me on Twitter @Patrickp13