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9 game conference schedule: Yay or Nay?
Posted on 5/11/15 at 11:33 pm
Posted on 5/11/15 at 11:33 pm
I understand why the league doesn't want to do it. The SEC is the deepest conference in the land. Why make it harder on your conference champion and risk missing the playoffs? It would also create schedule imbalance in regards to home vs road.
I understand why certain teams do not want it. It is a disadvantage to teams that have permanent OOC rivalries vs legitimate teams while others do not. Although this does not effect conference standings it does have an effect on a national level.
It does create a better rotation against the opposite division, which is needed because it almost feels like two separate conferences at this point.
I'm not sure 9 is the answer. It almost creates as many problems as it solves. 10 would seem to solve all problems except the fact that we would be putting ourselves at a huge disadvantage nationally. If there were only 4 conferences and the champion was guaranteed a spot at the table then I'd have no issue with it.
I'm also not a fan of doing away with the divisions. I wouldn't like the champion, or championship game participants being determined by the "eyeball" test. Way too much inherent bias in that process.
So what's the solution? Do away with permanent rivals? Move Mizzou and Kentucky to the West and Alabama and Auburn to the East?
SEC has a serious scheduling problem. Really the entirety of CFB does, and I don't see a really good fix outside of 10 conference games and even that has its drawbacks.
I understand why certain teams do not want it. It is a disadvantage to teams that have permanent OOC rivalries vs legitimate teams while others do not. Although this does not effect conference standings it does have an effect on a national level.
It does create a better rotation against the opposite division, which is needed because it almost feels like two separate conferences at this point.
I'm not sure 9 is the answer. It almost creates as many problems as it solves. 10 would seem to solve all problems except the fact that we would be putting ourselves at a huge disadvantage nationally. If there were only 4 conferences and the champion was guaranteed a spot at the table then I'd have no issue with it.
I'm also not a fan of doing away with the divisions. I wouldn't like the champion, or championship game participants being determined by the "eyeball" test. Way too much inherent bias in that process.
So what's the solution? Do away with permanent rivals? Move Mizzou and Kentucky to the West and Alabama and Auburn to the East?
SEC has a serious scheduling problem. Really the entirety of CFB does, and I don't see a really good fix outside of 10 conference games and even that has its drawbacks.
41
Posted on 5/11/15 at 11:43 pm to JesusQuintana
I'm against it.
Do away with permanent rivals if a better rotation against the other division is the desired outcome.
Do away with permanent rivals if a better rotation against the other division is the desired outcome.
This post was edited on 5/11/15 at 11:45 pm
Posted on 5/11/15 at 11:53 pm to JesusQuintana
Either a 9 game schedule or getting rid of permanent opponents needs to happen. Since the cross division permanent games aren't going anywhere, just make it a 9 game schedule already. The scedule now is such a joke
This post was edited on 5/11/15 at 11:54 pm
Posted on 5/11/15 at 11:56 pm to Pelican fan99
9 games presents a pretty significant problem though. Home/road splits. That's a BIG competitive disadvantage.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 12:18 am to JesusQuintana
I thought when Texas A&M and Missouri joined the conference it was with the agreement that Alabama/Tennessee and Georgia/Auburn would be able to keep their cross division rivalries. The SEC can't go back on that agreement.
Most fans want 9 games and that would be a blast until that season comes when everyone beats each other up and the SEC misses the playoffs. That could happen this season with 8 conference games let alone 9.
Looks like things will have to continue as they are unless the schools figure something else out.
Most fans want 9 games and that would be a blast until that season comes when everyone beats each other up and the SEC misses the playoffs. That could happen this season with 8 conference games let alone 9.
Looks like things will have to continue as they are unless the schools figure something else out.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 12:24 am to JesusQuintana
I'm leaning away from 9 games. The schedules would be brutal for some teams with OOC and you're right, the home/road split is also a huge disadvantage. I'd like everyone to play a decent P5 game every year for starters. I'd almost lean towards 10 games. But thats a huge jump though and UF for example would have 10 SEC games, FSU, and an FCS. That seems very hazardous for the players health 
And the above poster is right, the rotation right now is a joke. I don't think we get to see Auburn at home until 2020 and Bama in 2021 or something crazy like that.
Perhaps just get rid of the divisions. I know you said you didn't like this but make everything rotating except a 2-3 permanents. Someone posted this the other day and I kinda like it. 3 perms and 5 rotating and keep the 8 game in-conference. You see everybody at home every 4 years. Championship game is decided like divisions are now by best record with tie breakers being head to head, overall record, best common opponent head to head.
And the above poster is right, the rotation right now is a joke. I don't think we get to see Auburn at home until 2020 and Bama in 2021 or something crazy like that.
quote:
which is needed because it almost feels like two separate conferences at this point
Perhaps just get rid of the divisions. I know you said you didn't like this but make everything rotating except a 2-3 permanents. Someone posted this the other day and I kinda like it. 3 perms and 5 rotating and keep the 8 game in-conference. You see everybody at home every 4 years. Championship game is decided like divisions are now by best record with tie breakers being head to head, overall record, best common opponent head to head.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 12:46 am to JesusQuintana
It's an interesting bargaining chip from a financial point of view. A 9 conference game schedule reduces the total inventory of football games but improves that inventory at the same time.
I think Slive kept his powder dry when the SEC added TAMU and Mizzou. That event was already a "look in" to existing SEC media contracts.. No need to burn another "look in" (i.e., a transition to 9 conference games) if you don't have to.
But if conferences go to 16 teams, you'll have to have a 9 conference game schedule. All the P5 GoRs expire in the 2020s, which might precipitate another round of conference realignment. So the SEC might move to a 9 game conference schedule later this decade or in the early 2020s to maximize the number of "look in" events.
I think Slive kept his powder dry when the SEC added TAMU and Mizzou. That event was already a "look in" to existing SEC media contracts.. No need to burn another "look in" (i.e., a transition to 9 conference games) if you don't have to.
But if conferences go to 16 teams, you'll have to have a 9 conference game schedule. All the P5 GoRs expire in the 2020s, which might precipitate another round of conference realignment. So the SEC might move to a 9 game conference schedule later this decade or in the early 2020s to maximize the number of "look in" events.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 1:01 am to JesusQuintana
I am for whatever gets it to where we play more of our traditional rivals more often, Tennessee and Florida.
I am also for whatever it takes that makes it to where Bama can't duck Florida and Georgia in the regular season.
I don't give a damn how hard the schedules would be; I would love for the Big 6 to play each other every year.
I am also for whatever it takes that makes it to where Bama can't duck Florida and Georgia in the regular season.
I don't give a damn how hard the schedules would be; I would love for the Big 6 to play each other every year.
This post was edited on 5/12/15 at 5:22 am
Posted on 5/12/15 at 1:09 am to JesusQuintana
Yay
Posted on 5/12/15 at 2:05 am to JesusQuintana
Nay
Eliminate divisions and rotate all 8 conference games
2 year would be the longest UT/Bama and UGA/AU don't see each other so every 3 year superstar would get at least a game in those series
Eliminate divisions and rotate all 8 conference games
2 year would be the longest UT/Bama and UGA/AU don't see each other so every 3 year superstar would get at least a game in those series
Posted on 5/12/15 at 2:11 am to Cockopotamus
quote:and just get rid of the sec championship game?
Eliminate divisions and rotate all 8 conference games
Posted on 5/12/15 at 2:14 am to JesusQuintana
Nay:
It creates unequal schedules every year. Just about every year a division or even the conference will be determined by who had an unequal number of home vs road games and who drew several strong or weak opposite division opponents.
The permanent opponents for Auburn/UGA, LSU/Florida give those four teams a higher probability of especially unequal schedules. Florida and UGA may continue to lose the East to MU level teams on some years because of this type of luck.
An odd number of conference games is especially bad for competitive balance and fairness. If the goal is to rotate through the entire conference rapidly the obvious answer is still the roomate switch proposal.
LINK
It should be modified to allow for consecutive home and away match-ups IMO but otherwise it is very satisfactory in that would allow every single team in the conference to play everyone both home and away in a four year span. Keeping fixed divisions and increasing the number of conference games doesn't accomplish nearly as much and has a number of negative consequences (few home gates, more losses for elite teams, fewer bowl eligible teams making for a harder climb back to respectability for middle and lower tier teams)
It creates unequal schedules every year. Just about every year a division or even the conference will be determined by who had an unequal number of home vs road games and who drew several strong or weak opposite division opponents.
The permanent opponents for Auburn/UGA, LSU/Florida give those four teams a higher probability of especially unequal schedules. Florida and UGA may continue to lose the East to MU level teams on some years because of this type of luck.
An odd number of conference games is especially bad for competitive balance and fairness. If the goal is to rotate through the entire conference rapidly the obvious answer is still the roomate switch proposal.
LINK
It should be modified to allow for consecutive home and away match-ups IMO but otherwise it is very satisfactory in that would allow every single team in the conference to play everyone both home and away in a four year span. Keeping fixed divisions and increasing the number of conference games doesn't accomplish nearly as much and has a number of negative consequences (few home gates, more losses for elite teams, fewer bowl eligible teams making for a harder climb back to respectability for middle and lower tier teams)
Posted on 5/12/15 at 5:20 am to JesusQuintana
quote:
9 games presents a pretty significant problem though. Home/road splits. That's a BIG competitive disadvantage.
Or it could be a huge opportunity, if the league felt it could pull off 7 neutral site games a year.
For example, Mizzou vs. Arkansas in Kansas City. Mizzou vs. Vanderbilt or Tennessee in Memphis, etc.
Make one or two games per year true, national showcase games at a location outside the SEC footprint.
The NFL keeps looking for ways to expand their base. Maybe the SEC could be the 1st college conference do the same.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 5:26 am to JesusQuintana
9. I wish A&M's schedule every year was 9 SEC games, tu, one big time OOC opponent and one SMU type program.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 5:33 am to Mizz-SEC
quote:
9 games presents a pretty significant problem though. Home/road splits. That's a BIG competitive disadvantage.
Or it could be a huge opportunity, if the league felt it could pull off 7 neutral site games a year.
For example, Mizzou vs. Arkansas in Kansas City. Mizzou vs. Vanderbilt or Tennessee in Memphis, etc.
Make one or two games per year true, national showcase games at a location outside the SEC footprint.
Well 9 conference games still wouldn't get you rotated through the whole conference nearly as efficiently as other proposals on teh table. But the idea of doing neutral site games for the odd game would potentially decrease the unfairness from team to team. It wouldn't eliminate the issue while you have the Fla/UGA series etc within the same division but it is at least thinking about the issue.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 5:58 am to JesusQuintana
At the current rate we're not scheduled to play Tennessee again until 2022 it needs badly to be changed to 9 games. Also Auburn needs to be moved over to the East when they do finally decide to change to 9 game conference schedule.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 6:07 am to JesusQuintana
Play nine conference games and eliminate a bye week.
It's a 14 team conference now. Play nine or drop two (or four) teams.
It's a 14 team conference now. Play nine or drop two (or four) teams.
This post was edited on 5/12/15 at 6:16 am
Posted on 5/12/15 at 6:12 am to JesusQuintana
Either 9 games or force teams to only play power conference teams.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 6:34 am to Rabern57
NO changes to the schedule unless we get rid of the silly permanent opponent.
If a "few" permanent games (e.g.: Alabama-Tennessee) have to occur to keep the world from ending...then let them schedule their match as a non-conference game in the years they're not scheduled to play in the rotation.
Waiting a decade to play an opponent from the other division is stupid! Considering who runs the SEC HQ, it's not surprising to see them make another idiotic, biased decision. EVERYBODY should be fired and the HQ should be relocated.
If a "few" permanent games (e.g.: Alabama-Tennessee) have to occur to keep the world from ending...then let them schedule their match as a non-conference game in the years they're not scheduled to play in the rotation.
Waiting a decade to play an opponent from the other division is stupid! Considering who runs the SEC HQ, it's not surprising to see them make another idiotic, biased decision. EVERYBODY should be fired and the HQ should be relocated.
Posted on 5/12/15 at 6:39 am to Rabern57
quote:
force teams to only play power conference teams
I wish this would happen. Auburn's OOC schedule is pathetic the next 3 years outside of Louisville and Clemson.
2015
Sept. 5: Louisville (Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
Sept. 12: Jacksonville State
Oct. 3: San Jose State
Nov. 21: Idaho
2016
Sept. 3: Clemson
Sept. 10: Arkansas State
Oct. 1: Louisiana-Monroe
Nov. 19: Alabama A&M
2017
Sept. 2: Georgia Southern
Sept. 9: at Clemson
Sept. 16: Mercer
Oct. 7: Louisiana-Monroe
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