[Van Hagar]

Beginning next season, the SEC has voted to go to nine conference games, plus one non-conference game must be against a Power 4 opponent, which means the Louisville game should remain on the Kentucky schedule. Not great news for UK, that eliminates one ‘guaranteed’ win off the schedule every year. But as a fan I love it. I mean, does anybody get excited about Kentucky vs. Kent St.? Alabama vs. Louisiana-Monroe? Tennessee vs. Tennessee Tech? 

  UK will have three permanent opponents that they will play every season. The other 12 conference teams will be rotated, six one year, the other six the next. Then that cycle will repeat with the host flipping. That means every school in the SEC will play in Lexington at least once every four years. The big question is who will be UK’s permanent opponents. Most everyone seems to agree that Tennessee is a lock. But there is a lot of differing opinions on the other two. I really hope Vandy is one, both for competitive reasons and because I selfishly love going to Nashville every other year for that game. Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi St. seem to be the other leading contenders, with Florida and Missouri also being mentioned as possibilities.