2015 SEC Out Of Conference Schedules Are A Complete Joke

Last week the SEC released their collective out of conference schedules for the 2015 season, and they are even more laughable than you would've expected.  While all 4 other members of the Power 5 conferences play 9 game schedules, the SEC plays only 8 conference games.  They do this for a myriad of reasons, but mainly in order to secure another cupcake for each team.  But that doesn't just mean an extra easy win for each team, IT ALLOWS THE SEC TO AVOID AN EXTRA 7 AUTOMATIC LOSSES FOR THE CONFERENCE.  That's why so many SEC teams go to bowl games.  No other reason.  While the rest of us have to win 6 tough games, they only have to win 5.  The SEC long ago adjusted to the rules away from losing late in the season, so much so that now half of their out of conference games are late in the season.  SEC Commission Mike Slive even made a point of making a special announcement that in-conference games will no longer be held during the opening week of the season (starting in 2016, which he muttered under his breath).  Between the 14 teams in the SEC, they have a total of 56 out of conference games during the 2015 season.

Alabama - Wisconsin (game in TX), Mid Tennessee, Louisiana-Monroe, Charleston Southern
Arkansas - UTEP, Toledo, Texas Tech, UT Martin
Auburn - Louisville (game in GA), Jacksonville State, San Jose State, Idaho
Florida - New Mexico State, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida State
Georgia - Louisiana-Monroe, Southern, Georgia Southern, @ Georgia Tech
Kentucky - Louisiana-Lafayette, Eastern Kentucky, Charlotte, Louisville
LSU - McNeese State, @ Syracuse, Eastern Michigan, Western Kentucky
Ole Miss - UT Martin, Fresno State, New Mexico State, @ Memphis
Mississippi State - @ Southern Miss, Northwestern, Troy, Louisiana Tech
Missouri - Southeast Missouri State, @ Arkansas State, UConn, __________
South Carolina - North Carolina, UCF, The Citadel, Clemson
Tennessee - UAB (game in TN), Oklahoma, Western Carolina, North Texas
Texas A&M -  ASU (game in TX), Ball State, Nevada, Western Carolina
Vanderbilt - Western Kentucky, Austin Peay, @ Mid Tennessee, @ Houston

11 out of 56 games vs. Power 5 conference teams
7 out of 56 games are true road games
5 out of 56 games are compelling/interesting (not including rivalries)
4 out of 56 games at "neutral" (not neutral at all) fields
1 out of 56 games played north of Mason Dixon Line
0 out of 56 games played west of Dallas, TX

So to sum up - They play no one.  They never travel out of the South.  Their in-conference strength of schedule is never questioned, even though they played no one out of conference for any sort of measurable reference.  We, the silent majority in the Power 4, will never concede defeat and change to an 8 game schedule, so we will just continue cannibalizing ourselves without ever attempting to force the SEC to play by the same rules (or just make them have 7 wins for a bowl). And this ugly yet predictable cycle will perfectly deliver 2 SEC teams into the final 4 playoff in both 2014 & 2015.