The Missouri football team will commence its Southeastern Conference era Sept. 8. when the Tigers play host to the Georgia Bulldogs, and the topic became one of instant buzz on the first SEC coaches’ teleconference in which Missouri coach Gary Pinkel took part.

On the subject, Pinkel provided the rest of the SEC with a glimpse of the anticipation level among Tiger faithful.

“It’ll be mammoth here,” Pinkel said of the Georgia opener. “Our fans are so excited about being a part of the SEC and that being the first game, it’s going to be a big, big game here.”

The Tigers’ entrance to the conference was one of many subjects tossed around during the teleconference Tuesday morning, which included 12 of the 14 SEC coaches. The teleconference was open to the public to call in and was streamed live on [the SEC Digital Network](www.secdigitalnetwork.com).

Pinkel said Missouri’s anticipation isn’t waiting until the week of the game.

“People are talking about it already, rarely do they ever do that,” Pinkel added. “Historically, it’ll go down in history as the first game, so to say it’s just another conference game, it’s really not.”

Georgia coach Mark Richt said he anticipates a rabid atmosphere when his Bulldogs step onto Faurot Field, as he labeled the matchup a “great challenge psychologically” in Tuesday’s teleconference.

However, it turns out the game will mark a new era of SEC football, one in which 14 members will take part with the additions of Missouri and Texas A&M from the Big 12 Conference.

**An adjustment period for all**

Pinkel said his staff has had plenty of work to do since the end of February to prepare for the coming season, including studying up on Georgia and the rest of the Tigers’ SEC foes and their various schemes.

Pinkel said he anticipates sticking with the game plan that has landed the program seven consecutive bowl appearances.

“We like our system and we intend to run it,” Pinkel said. “As we do with anything in our program, we’ll evaluate and adjust if necessary.”

A major topic of discussion in the offseason centered on how Missouri and Texas A&M would assimilate to their new home, but the already established members of the SEC will have some adjusting of their own to do.

As Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Tuesday, the spread offenses of Missouri and Texas A&M will add new dimensions to SEC football.

The finesse four and five-wide sets the Tigers employ stray from the typical power games SEC offenses run, which is something defensive coordinators will have to compensate for.

“It creates matchups; you’ve got to be able to make plays in space against these guys and rush the quarterback with four guys,” Florida coach Will Muschamp said.

Muschamp insinuated SEC schools have to adjust to the Aggies and Tigers more than the incoming schools would have to adjust to them.

Georgia coach Mark Richt downplayed the impact of contrasting styles of play.

“(Missouri) may spread out a little bit more than most teams do in our league, but not anything that no one’s ever seen before,” Richt said.

Muschamp also noted another element the former Big 12 schools add to the SEC in new TV markets. Muschamp cut right to the heart of realignment, citing the benefit of “drawing TV sets in Houston and east Texas,” thanks to the addition of Texas A&M.