SEC Schedule 2015: Winners, Losers, And Helpful Notes.

Yesterday evening the SEC officially released the complete season football schedule for 2015. There aren't really a lot of huge surprises (the opponents themselves were actually disclosed months ago). But some games have been moved aroind a little, and there are some interesting scheduling decisions. Here it is, your week-by-week SEC schedule for 2015, with additional commentary below.

Two global scheduling notes. You'll likely see right off the bat that this is a thirteen week schedule with only one bye week rather than a fourteen week schedule with two. Also, there are no conference games in week one, which is going to be dominated by intersectional match ups with opponents from other Power 5 conferences (more on those in a moment).

Of course you're primarily concerned with the Georgia Bulldogs' road to Atlanta. It begins witha home game against UL-Monroe which isn't really much to write home about. In fact, it's not exactly the most awe-inspiring home slate ever, also including contests with Southern, and Georgia Southern. That is balanced out a bit by an October 3rd home date with Alabama, the Crimson Tide's first trip to Athens since the "#%*^! Funeral" game in 2008. That matchup is followed seven days later by a trip to Knoxville to play the Tennessee squad Georgia struggled with in Athens this year. You heard it here first, Tennessee will be a year older and a year better in 2015, so this is going to be a really tough two game swing.

Interestingly the traditional October date with Vanderbilt moves up to week 2, meaning Missouri may well have to serve as the Homecoming opponent. South Carolina remains in week 3, traveling to Athens coming off a week 2 home matchup with Kentucky. The 'Dawgs are off October 24th before a Halloween trip to Jacksonville. I will never object to a chance to rest up before the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

After a home date with Kentucky it's off to Auburn on November 14th for the latest iteration of the South's oldest rivalry. Between a home date with the Crimson Tide and a road battle with the Plainsmen, it's safe to say that the Red and Black likely have the toughest cross-divisional slate in the league. Suck it, Stevie. The 'Dawgs will finish the year with back-to-back games against up-and-coming, scrappy instate schools Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. Of the two I am more worried about the boys from Statesboro and I'm not even joking.

Outside of Georgia's schedule there are a few items of note. For one Texas A&M somehow manages to leave the state of Texas only once in the first eleven weeks of the season (an October 24th trip to Ole Miss). There are also some really intriguing nonconference match ups as well, especially on opening weekend. That's when South Carolina will kick things off on Thursday, September 3rd versus North Carolina, Alabama opens against Wisconsin two days later in Dallas, Auburn begins with Louisville in the Georgia Dome, and Texas A&M squares off against Arizona State in Houston. That's quite a weekend guys.

The lone bye week probably affects no one more than Ole Miss, which will play ten straight games before taking a week off on November 14th then finishing with LSU and the traditional Egg Bowl tilt with Mississippi State. And no team probably benefits more from the arrangement than ... whoever's playing Alabama. The Tide face three teams (LSU, Texas A&M, and Tennessee) who get a bye before playing Nick Saban's team.

But enough from me. What do you think about this schedule? Who are the winners and losers? Until later...

Go 'Dawgs!!!