quote:
one of the reasons I'm so fond of the idea of pods to keep rivalries and increase the pace of rotation).

How would pods accomplish this? You're going to see years where A&M doesn't play Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, and State every year if you do that. I disagree with any scenario that does this.

It would depend on the four team divisions. You would of course not play every team from the SEC West every year if the SEC expanded to 16 - but unlike an expansion possibility with 16 teams you would not see Tennessee and UGA only twice every 14 years either.

If A&M was paired with Va Tech (as their fixed out of division opponent) and in a division with LSU, Arkansas and Ole Miss you'd see:

These teams every year:
LSU
Arkansas
Ole Miss
Va Tech

These teams at least twice every 6 years:
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
UGA
Tenn
USC
MSU
KY
Vandy
MU
North Carolina (if they joined the SEC with Va Tech)

This is better than an expansion to 16 teams without pods because (with Tenn and UGA locked up to Alabama and Auburn) the majority of your opposite division rotation would be unappealing opponents even after you increased to play 9 conference games per team per year (a move not without negative consequences). In 14 years you would play 2 games against UGA, 2 games against Tennessee and 4 games against each of the following: Florida, USC, KY, Vandy, North Carolina, Va Tech

Contrast this with a pod system. You don't even have to expand the number of conference games played for the rotation to be more complete and more satisfying. In less than 12 years (using only an 8 game conference schedule) you would play each of these a minimum of four times each: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, UGA, Tenn, USC, MSU, KY, Vandy, MU, North Carolina

Pods would keep the conference more of a real conference with expansion. You would see and play all of your conference opponents on a regular basis.