On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Ticket prices for this year's SEC Championship game have revealed a major issue with the College Football Playoff.
The Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns are set for an epic rematch this Saturday as both teams will travel to Atlanta to compete for the SEC Championship and a first-round bye in the inaugural season of the 12-team College Football Playoff. The SEC's conference championship game has been home to numerous classics over the years and has been regarded by coaches, players, and fans as one of the best atmospheres in all of college football.
With a matchup between two major programs and so much at stake, it would be safe to assume that ticket prices for this game would be astronomically high and available only to the wealthiest fans. However, as kickoff fast approaches, ticket prices have remained surprisingly modest. According to Ticketmaster, fans can attend Saturday's conference championship game for as little as $116 a ticket.
For reference, prices for last year's conference title matchup between Georgia and Alabama were over $300 at their cheapest. So, what makes this year's SEC Championship so different that it is driving ticket prices down so significantly? Well, there may be a list of factors taking place.
For starters, this will be the second matchup of the season between Georgia and Texas after the Dawgs handled the Longhorns in Austin by a score of 30-15. But the reason for the supposed decrease in demand for this game likely goes much deeper.
The main culprit for low ticket prices this year can be attributed to one of the biggest changes in college football: the 12-team playoff expansion. Rather than the traditional four-team format, this year's College Football Playoff will feature a monstrous 12 teams that will all have a shot at the national title. The format change implies that regardless of Saturday's outcome, both Texas and Georgia's likelihood of making the playoff remains exceedingly high. This has seemingly diminished the SEC Championship game to a glorified exhibition match rather than a tremendous spectacle that could decide the fate of a team's hopes for a national championship as it had so many seasons prior.
On top of the lessened significance of the game, Saturday's meeting has the potential to not be the final meeting between Texas and Georgia. With both team's playoff spots seemingly secure, there is an increased likelihood that the winner of this game may have to win this matchup once again, should these two teams' paths cross in the playoff. So, the looming potential of a third meeting between the Bulldogs and Longhorns in a much more consequential setting has likely played a factor in lowering the demand for conference championship ticket prices.
The 12-team playoff expansion has brought many new excitements to the college football world and has certainly increased the awareness, revenue, and overall allure of the sport. However, it has also caused some of the most beloved traditions to have their importance and relevancy greatly diminished. One of these traditions unfortunately seems to be the SEC Championship.
How to Watch Georgia vs Texas (SEC Championship)
- Gameday: Saturday, December 7th. 2024
- Game time: 4:00 pm ET
- TV: SEC Network
- Broadcast Team: Chris Fowler (Play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit(Color)
- Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
- Stream on ESPN - HERE
More must-reads:
- Is Cameron Heyward serious about his threat toward Steelers?
- George Pickens has been 'incredible' with Cowboys after failed Steelers tenure
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Ohio State Buckeyes are dealing with a major SEC program trying to take a key recruit right out of Columbus
Most of the focus for the Ohio State Buckeyes is on finishing the 2026 class strong before shifting attention to the 2027 cycle. Ohio State already has two key commitments in the 2027 class — five-star wide receiver Jamier Brown and four-star quarterback Brady Edmunds. The Buckeyes also have the benefit of having a talented four-star defensive lineman in their own backyard in Columbus. However, a major SEC program is trying to jump in front of them for his commitment. Tennessee Vols trying to land four-star Ohio recruit over the Buckeyes Columbus Academy (OH) defensive lineman Reinaldo Perez, a four-star prospect in the 2027 class, holds an offer from Ohio State and is a priority target. Perez already has a visit scheduled to Tennessee this fall, and the Volunteers appear ready to make a serious push in his recruitment. “Tennessee is a threat and he does have a visit set to see the Vols in the fall. But it’s pretty hard to imagine anyone beating out Ohio State here,” On3’s Greg Smith reported. Smith predicts the Buckeyes will ultimately land Perez in 2027, but notes that Tennessee is their biggest competition. Perez is also considering Florida, USC, Purdue, and Rutgers. According to the 247Sports Composite, Perez is ranked No. 212 nationally, No. 22 among defensive linemen, and No. 5 in the state of Ohio. Larry Johnson has his work cut out for him, but with Perez playing right in Columbus, it’s hard to envision the Buckeyes letting the 6-foot-4, 245-pound defender slip away if he remains a top priority. Perez will be at Ohio State for their season opener against Texas in a couple of weeks.
Here's how you can watch or listen to Taylor Swift’s ‘New Heights’ episode with Jason and Travis Kelce
Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
Commanders make a surprise cut, releasing one of their own draft picks
The Washington Commanders shook things up in a big way on Monday, making a series of roster changes that brought in three new faces, sent three players packing, and placed two more on injured reserve. The Commanders are clearly in evaluation mode, trying to find the right combination of experience, depth, and upside before the regular season kicks off. Washington knows that preseason is the time to experiment, but these moves also show they’re not afraid to make tough calls when things aren’t working. Tough Day for Three Departing Players The most notable departure is Dominique Hampton, one of general manager Adam Peters’ 2024 NFL Draft picks. Selected in the fifth round, Hampton came in as a safety but was quickly asked to shift into a linebacker-hybrid role — similar to how Washington used Jeremy Chinn before he left for Las Vegas in free agency. While the plan sounded promising on paper, it never clicked on the field. Hampton only appeared in one game as a rookie, logging six special teams snaps and never seeing time on defense. In last Friday’s preseason opener against the New England Patriots, Hampton played 42 defensive snaps and 15 on special teams, recording five tackles but also committing a costly face mask penalty on an 18-yard run. That penalty moved the ball deep into Commanders territory and set up a Patriots touchdown. Joining Hampton on the release list are defensive end Viliami Fehoko Jr. and cornerback Allan George. Neither had played in a regular-season game for Washington, but both saw action in the preseason loss to New England. Fehoko’s night was short-lived after just 14 snaps due to injury, while George played 38 snaps, making one tackle and breaking up a pass. Veterans Step In to Bolster Depth To fill the openings, the Commanders signed cornerbacks Essang Bassey and Antonio Hamilton Sr., along with linebacker Duke Riley. Hamilton Sr. brings plenty of experience, having played for five NFL teams since entering the league in 2016. Most recently, he suited up for the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, giving Washington a seasoned veteran who can step in immediately. Bassey, who spent time with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers from 2020 to 2023, didn’t see the field last season but has shown flashes of potential in previous years. Riley is a familiar face for head coach Dan Quinn, who drafted him in the third round back in 2017 when he was coaching the Falcons. Riley spent two seasons in Atlanta, a short stint with the Eagles, and then the past four seasons with the Miami Dolphins. His versatility and special teams ability make him an intriguing addition to the linebacker room. Roster Spots Open on IR On top of the signings and releases, Washington placed offensive tackle Lucas Niang and cornerback Kevon Seymour on the reserve/injured list. Niang was expected to provide depth on the offensive line, while Seymour was competing for a spot in the secondary. Losing both players means the Commanders may need to continue looking at free-agent options or rely on internal development to cover those spots. If there’s one thing this round of moves shows, it’s that the Commanders are serious about fielding the best possible roster. Preseason is short, and every snap counts when evaluating talent.
Dolphins humiliated by Lions at joint practice
Joint practices have revealed some problems for the Miami Dolphins with a few weeks to go before the regular season. Tua Tagovailoa started against the Chicago Bears in Sunday's preseason game, wanting to show improvement after having a bad showing during the Dolphins' joint practice in Chicago on Friday. Tagovailoa did play better, going 5-of-6 passing for 27 yards and led the Dolphins to the Chicago 1-yard line before the offense was stopped on downs. A few days later, Tagovailoa and the offense had another poor performance at their joint practice with the Detroit Lions. Per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, Miami couldn't score in the red zone against a motivated Lions defense during Wednesday's practice. "Dolphins offense just ran 16 or so plays in the red zone vs. the Lions and didn’t score until the final play (between the second units)," Pouncy posted on X. "Miami’s first-team offense didn’t score in the 7-8 plays vs. Detroit’s first-team defense. It was ugly. Lions’ D is having a day." Pouncy's observation of the Lions manhandling the Dolphins was universal among beat reporters covering the Lions and Dolphins, with The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner calling it the most "lopsided" practice he'd witnessed covering the NFL. Last week, Omar Kelly of the Miami Sun Sentinel said Miami folded when the Bears defense began to whip on the offense. The accusations of the Dolphins being a soft team are going to continue until they decide to fight back in joint practices or against opponents in the regular season. When healthy, the Lions have a fierce defense. So Detroit having the edge isn't a surprise, though not being able to score during 16 plays in the red zone is a concern. Miami doesn't appear to have found an identity, and that could spell doom for the season if it doesn't get it figured out before Week 1.
Bears make big preseason decision amid reports of Caleb Williams' training-camp struggles
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
