How the SEC's TV contracts work

A frequently asked question to me: "Why are we in the midst of a three-week span in which the SEC's best game is at night, if the SEC game of the week is supposed to be at 3:30?"

Here's how the SEC's contract with CBS works. All times Eastern even though the majority of SEC teams play in the Central Time Zone. CBS is required to show the Arkansas/Texas A&M and Florida/Georgia neutral site games, both at 3:30. Arkansas/Texas A&M takes place early in the season, and Florida/Georgia is four Saturdays before Thanksgiving. CBS airs regular season games from Week 3 to Thanksgiving Saturday.

On most weeks, CBS gets the first pick of games and airs it at 3:30, and ESPN gets all the remaining SEC games. They can put up to 3 on SEC Network, which must be at the times of noon, 4, and 7:30. Any games on any ESPN network besides SEC Network can't have start times between noon and 7. A noon game or a 7:00 game is fine. ABC may never air an SEC game.

On one Saturday early in the season, either in late September or early October, CBS airs a noon and 3:30 doubleheader. The noon game is the third choice of games, after ESPN gets to choose the second choice of games to put at any time they please, after CBS gets their normal first choice of games at 3:30.

Three Saturdays before Thanksgiving, CBS airs a 3:30 and 8 doubleheader, with both the first and second choice of games. Because this has so frequently been Alabama/LSU, it is thought Alabama/LSU is always a night game, but this is not the case. In fact, earlier in the season when Alabama and LSU had both lost and Auburn was still undefeated, I thought Texas A&M at Auburn would certainly be chosen for the night game with Alabama at LSU at 3:30.

On Black Friday, CBS airs a game at 2:30. This is Arkansas at Missouri in even-numbered years and Texas A&M at LSU in odd-numbered years. Thanksgiving Saturday is once again just one 3:30 game with the first choice of games for CBS.

On the first Saturday in December, CBS airs the SEC Championship at 4.

Now let's take a look at why we are in the midst of a three-week span in which the SEC game of the week is not at 3:30. Last week, CBS simply made the decision to choose Mississippi State at Kentucky instead of Ole Miss at LSU. Not necessarily a mistake.

This week, CBS is required to show Florida/Georgia, which means they don't have a choice and can't choose Auburn at Ole Miss.

Next week, CBS has the doubleheader and so has placed Alabama at LSU at 8.

How the SEC might end up with no teams in the playoffs

If all have two losses which could happen if:
Auburn beats Ole Miss,
LSU beats Alabama,
Alabama beats Mississippi State,
Auburn beats Georgia,
Alabama beats Auburn, and
Ole Miss beats Mississippi State.

If this happens, here is the five-way tiebreaker with two losses:
A. Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.
Alabama: 2-2
Auburn: 2-2
Ole Miss: 2-2
Mississippi State: 2-2
LSU: 2-2
B. Division record. (SEC West)
Alabama: 4-2
Auburn: 4-2
Ole Miss: 4-2
Mississippi State: 4-2
LSU: 4-2
C. Head-to-head against the team within the division with the best conference record.
same as tiebreaker A.
D. Overall conference record against the other division.
Alabama: 2-0
Auburn: 2-0
Ole Miss: 2-0
Mississippi State: 2-0
LSU: 2-0
E. Combined record against all common non-divisional teams
There are none.
F. Record against the best (conf record) common non-divisional team
There is not one.
G. Combined SEC record of the team's cross-divisional opponents.
This is based on my predictions of all future SEC East games:
Because one of Auburn's cross-divisional opponents is Georgia, Auburn would win the SEC West in a five-way tiebreaker with two losses. This could result in a rematch in the SEC Championship.

How Missouri might be a 3-loss SEC champion

If Georgia lose to Florida and Auburn, then even if Missouri lose to Texas A&M, they will win the SEC East with three losses because only two of their losses would have been SEC.

Watch out for Georgia to win the SEC!

Even if Georgia loses to Auburn, as long as Texas A&M beats Missouri, Georgia will win the SEC East by virtue of their 34-0 victory at Missouri earlier in the season. In the SEC Championship, Georgia will be coming off an easy victory over Georgia Tech whereas the SEC West champion will be coming off a tough game in either the Iron or Egg Bowl. The SEC Championship will also be practically a home game for Georgia since it is played in the Georgia Dome. Don't be surprised if Georgia wins the SEC. Their only loss came at South Carolina in controversial fashion and after a missed field goal.

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 29 TV Schedule

the first day of the NBA season!
College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings Reveals Show (7:30 ET, ESPN, ESPN3)
Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs (8 ET, TNT)
San Francisco Giants at Kansas City Royals Game 6 (8:07 ET, Fox, Fox Sports GO)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 ET, TNT)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 23 TV Schedule

San Francisco Giants at Kansas City Royals Game 2 (8:07 ET, Fox, Fox Sports GO)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 22 TV Schedule

San Francisco Giants at Kansas City Royals Game 1 (8:07 ET, Fox, Fox Sports GO)

SEC West tiebreakers

The tiebreaker for two teams tied at the top is simple: the head-to-head game. Few are familiar with the scenario in which three one-loss teams are tied at the top, with the only losses to each other. This is a very real scenario this year.

If Alabama beats Auburn and Mississippi State, and Ole Miss beats Auburn but loses to Mississippi State, then Alabama, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State will finish in this position.

The tiebreaker in this situation is the combined SEC records of the two SEC East teams that each team played.

Alabama: Florida, at Tennessee

Ole Miss: at Vanderbilt, Tennessee

Mississippi State: at Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Florida (currently 2-3, predictions below)

11/1 vs. Georgia (L)

11/8 at Vanderbilt (W)

11/15 vs. South Carolina (toss-up)

final: either 4-4 or 3-5

Tennessee (currently 0-3, predictions below)

10/25 vs. Alabama (L)

11/1 at South Carolina (L)

11/15 vs. Kentucky (L)

11/22 vs. Missouri (L)

11/29 vs. Vanderbilt (W)

final: 1-7

Vanderbilt (currently 0-4, predictions below)

10/25 at Missouri (L)

11/8 vs. Florida (L)

11/22 at Mississippi State (L)

11/29 vs. Tennessee (L)

final: 0-8

Kentucky (currently 2-2, predictions below)

10/25 vs. Mississippi State (L)

11/1 at Missouri (L)

11/8 vs. Georgia (L)

11/15 at Tennessee (W)

final: 3-5

combined records of SEC East opponents:

Alabama: 5-11 or 4-12

Ole Miss: 1-15

Mississippi State: 3-13

Alabama would win the tiebreaker.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Arkansas's loss to Georgia on Saturday was the SEC West's first loss to a non-SEC West team this season (SEC West: 26-1 against non-SEC West)

STAT OF THE NIGHT

The Steelers are 7-0 on Monday Night Football at Heinz Field.

NFC #LETME Week 7

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

6. Tennessee Titans at Washington Redskins (1 ET, CBS: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon)
The Redskins are headed the exact opposite direction of the Giants and Cowboys. Titans 35, Redskins 20

5. New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions (1 ET, Fox: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, and Jennifer Hale)
Maybe the Lions fans watching the game won't have to deal with as bad of a commentator. Lions 40, Saints 33

4. Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
Last year on Monday night, the Rams almost beat the the Seahawks. This is a classic trap game following a loss to a quality opponent, similar to what happened in Super Bowl 41 1/2. Seahawks 26, Rams 20

3. Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, and Evan Washburn)
The Bears will want to win this one to have at least some kind of momentum heading into their big showdown against the Patriots next week, who will be coming off a 10-day rest. However, Jay Cutler will not be able to execute the fake spike play in the same way Aaron Rodgers was. Dolphins 31, Bears 27

2. Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Sam Rosen, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver)
This won't end in a tie, but it's very tough to call. Packers 33, Panthers 30

1. New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (3:25 CT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, and Charissa Thompson) Sunset at 6:49.
Classic Giants/Cowboys game with a lot of chaos and then an upset. Giants 31, Cowboys 30

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 17 TV Schedule

St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants Game 5 (8:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

AFC #LETME Week 7

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

9. Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 ET, CBS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, and Steve Beuerlein)
The Browns will make the playoffs this year! Browns 30, Jaguars 9

8. Arizona Cardinals at Oakland Raiders (1:25 PT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn, and Kristina Pink)
The Raiders aren't good. Playing a division opponent can make a team look good due to familiary, but the Cardinals aren't one. Cardinals 31, Raiders 9

7. Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills (1 ET, Fox: Tim Brando, Brendon Ayanbadejo, and Molly McGrath)
Hopefully Tim Brando won't swear at his critics if he does poorly as a first-time NFL on Fox announcer. Bills 24, Vikings 10

6. Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens (1 ET, Fox: Justin Kutcher, David Diehl, and Laura Okmin)
The Ravens will play better than the Orioles. Ravens 18, Falcons 12

5. New York Jets at New England Patriots (8:25 ET Thursday, CBS, NFL Network: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson)
As the Raiders showed last week, even a horrible team can put up a fight against a familiar divisional opponent. Jets 13, Patriots 10 (OT)

4. Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (8:30 ET Monday, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters)
Hines Ward isn't here to save the Steelers. Texans 20, Steelers 13

3. Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (1:05 PT, 4:05 ET, CBS: Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots)
If the Chargers play how they did against the Raiders, they will lose. Chiefs 14, Chargers 13

2. Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts (1 ET, CBS: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, and Jenny Dell)
Will the Bengals be the first team in NFL history to tie in back-to-back weeks? Colts 37, Bengals 34 (OT)

1. San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos (6:30 MT, 8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya) Sunset at 6:15.
Super Bowl preview? Broncos 33, 49ers 25

STAT OF THE NIGHT

The Royals are the only team to make it to the World Series while undefeated in postseason play besides the 2007 Rockies, who were then swept by the Red Sox in the World Series. Remember that the Royals had the additional Wild Card Game that the Rockies did not have, in which they trailed by 4 in the 8th and by 1 in the 9th.

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 16 TV Schedule

Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals Game 4 (4:07 ET, TBS)
St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants Game 4 (8:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 15 TV Schedule

St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants Game 3 (4:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)
Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals Game 3 (8:07 ET, TBS)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 13 TV Schedule

San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals Game 2 (8:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

NFC #LETME Week 6

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

7. Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals (1:25 MST, 4:25 EDT, Fox: Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn, and Kristina Pink)
Even though Calais Campbell is out, Cardinals 40, Redskins 21

6. Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons (4:25 ET, Fox: Justin Kutcher, David Diehl, and Laura Okmin) Sunset at 7:07.
Maybe the Bears will fumble away victory again.... Falcons 24, Bears 23

5. Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Mike Goldberg, Brandon Ayanbadejo, and Molly McGrath)
Alex Henery ELIMINATED Lions 15, Vikings 6

4. Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 ET, CBS: Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots)
The Ravens won't perform as the Steelers did against Tampa. Ravens 28, Buccaneers 14

3. San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams (Monday: 7:30 CT, 8:30 ET, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters) Sunset at 6:25.
49ers 17, Rams 9

2. New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya)
Rob Riggle: "game o' da week" Eagles 38, Giants 31

1. Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (1:25 PT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, and Charissa Thompson)
Even if Dez lines up on the left side, Seahawks 38, Cowboys 31

AFC #LETME Week 6

I unfortunately didn't get this post up on time for Thursday's game, but I would have picked the Texans, so I'll give myself an 0-1 for that game.

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, and Steve Beuerlein)
Storm Johnson reunited with Blake Bortles. Jaguars 20, Titans 13

6. Denver Broncos at New York Jets (1 ET, CBS: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, and Jenny Dell)
Rex Ryan will be fired at the end of this season, if not sooner. Vick was equally as bad, if not worse than, as Geno last week. Broncos 38, Jets 13

5. San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders (1:05 PT, 4:05 ET, CBS: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon)
24 teams might be within one game of the division this season, but the Raiders are not one. Chargers 23, Raiders 19

4. Green Bay Packers at Miami Dolphins (1 ET, Fox: Sam Rosen, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver)
The Dolphins coming off the bye will be better than the Packers are prepared for. Dolphins 38, Packers 35

3. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (1 ET, CBS: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, and Evan Washburn)
Joe Haden against Antonio Brown! Steelers 19, Browns 13

2. Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals (1 ET, Fox: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, and Jennifer Hale)
The Bengals will bounce back from their devastating loss to the Patriots. Bengals 23, Panthers 20

1. New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (1 ET, Fox: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
Kenny, Moose, and Goose get to call an all-AFC game for the first time because of the NFL's new cross-flexing rules! Bills 20, Patriots 19

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 12 TV Schedule

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles Game 2 (4:07 ET, TBS)
San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals Game 1 (8:07 ET, Fox, Fox Sports GO)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 11 TV Schedule

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles Game 1 (8:07 ET, TBS)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 8 TV Schedule

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals Game 4 (5:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants Game 4 (9:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 7 TV Schedule

Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants Game 3 (5:07 ET, MLB Network, MLB.TV)
Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals Game 3 (9:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 6 TV Schedule

Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers Game 3 (3:45 ET, TBS)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Kansas City Royals Game 3 (7:37 ET, TBS)

AFC #LETME Week 5

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

6. Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, and Steve Beuerlein)
Neither of these teams will make the playoffs this season. Browns 13, Titans 10

5. Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 ET, CBS: Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots)
The Steelers will not lose two straight games to Florida teams. Steelers 28, Jaguars 12

4. New York Jets at San Diego Chargers (1:25 PT, 4:25 ET, CBS: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, and Evan Washburn)
The Jets are undefeated against the AFC this year. Chargers 30, Jets 26

3. Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts (1 ET, CBS: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon)
The Colts used to play in Baltimore and did for most of their history, including their first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl V. Colts 21, Ravens 14

2. Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots (8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
Bengals/Cards Super Bowl with both being 18-0. Bengals 39, Patriots 21

1. Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos (2:05 MT, 4:05 ET, Fox: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Erin Andrews)
Bengals/Cards Super Bowl with both being 18-0. Cardinals 21, Broncos 13

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 5 TV Schedule

San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals Game 2 (5:37 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)
St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers Game 2 (9:37 ET, MLB Network)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 4 TV Schedule

Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles Game 2 (12:07 ET, TBS)
San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals Game 1 (3:07 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)
St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers Game 1 (6:37 ET, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports GO)
Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Game 2 (9:37 ET, TBS)

NFC #LETME Week 5

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

9. Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants (1 ET, Fox: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver)
What has happened to the world when Pam Oliver has been placed on the worst game of the week? Falcons 28, Giants 24

8. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (Thursday: 7:25 CT, 8:25 ET, CBS, NFL Network: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson) Sunset at 6:31.
Thursday Night Football will be a blowout again. Packers 31, Vikings 10

7. St. Louis Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (1 ET, Fox: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
The Eagles will bounce back from their loss to the 49ers. Eagles 28, Rams 10

6. Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins (8:30 ET Monday, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters)
The Redskins may have had more than a week's rest, but the Seahawks have had longer to recover from their grueling overtime victory over the Broncos. Seahawks 28, Redskins 25

5. Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers (1 ET, Fox: Thom Brennaman, David Diehl, and Laura Okmin)
The Panthers are slipping and will continue to slip while the Bears were recover from their embarassment last week at the hands of their bitter rivals. Bears 30, Panthers 17

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Dick Stockton, Kirk Morrison, and Kristina Pink)
Yes, I'm really picking the Bucs Buccaneers 27, Saints 21

3. Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions (1 ET, Fox: Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber, and Jennifer Hale)
Kyle Orton will come through in the clutch. Bills 38, Lions 37

2. Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, and Jenny Dell)
The Governor's Cup will return to Houston. Texans 20, Cowboys 17

1. Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers (1:25 PT, 4:25 ET, CBS: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson) Chiefs 41, 49ers 35

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 3 TV Schedule

Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles Game 1 (5:37 ET, TBS)

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Game 1 (9:07 ET, TBS)

Major League Baseball Postseason Day 2 TV Schedule

NL Wild Card Game: San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates (8:07 ET, ESPN, ESPN3)