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Should the SEC eliminate divisions?

Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:29 am
Posted by twk
Wichita Falls, Texas
Member since Jul 2011
2117 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:29 am
OK, we all like to make fun of the Big XII, but even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then.

The Big XII's need for a conference championship game got the NCAA to change the rules to allow for a championship game even if you don't have divisions. While I will admit to originally thinking that sounded like a silly thing, the facts on the ground are causing me to think otherwise.

Right now, the SEC is in a good place with some semblance of balance between the divisions, but there have been times in the past where one division champion has been vastly inferior to the other, making the championship game little more than a speed bump for the other division champ. If you don't have divisions, you never have this problem.

The other positive that I see is that it could solve some scheduling problems. I haven't worked through all the variables, but it seems to me that, if the SEC eliminated divisions, each team could have 3 permanent opponents that they play every year, and then use the other five conference games to play the remaining 10 teams every other year. Just taking my Aggies as an example, if we had annual games with LSU, Arkanasas, and just for the sake of argument and geography, Missouri (not who I would prefer, but how I think it would play out), and gave up annual games with Alabama, Auburn, and the Mississippi schools, but got to play those schools every other year, along with the Eastern divisions schools, I'd take that tradeoff in a heartbeat.

Alabama could play Auburn, UT, and perhaps State (they are the two closest schools geographically in the league). Auburn could still play Bama and UGA, but add an annual game with Florida or UT. LSU could play A&M, Arkansas, and Ole Miss...etc.
Posted by CBandits82
Lurker since May 2008
Member since May 2012
54068 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:33 am to
I would dig it.
Posted by General RL Bullard
Huntsville
Member since Aug 2018
824 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:34 am to
Nein.
Posted by RocketBallz
Member since Oct 2012
1285 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:40 am to
Pick 3:. Arkansas, Vandy, Arkansas.

Maybe swap Vandy for Arkansas.
This post was edited on 12/7/18 at 9:41 am
Posted by SummerOfGeorge
Member since Jul 2013
102699 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:41 am to
Yea I'd be totally fine with that.

The pod system thing seems to be by far the best overall solution.
Posted by labamafan
Prairieville
Member since Jan 2007
24264 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:44 am to
I don’t mind the divisions but we need a 9/10 game sec schedule.
Posted by Acc fan
Member since Nov 2018
146 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:44 am to
quote:

Should the SEC eliminate divisions?

Why so Bama can Beatdown every team in the east you aggies seem to enjoy watching teams getting there shite pushed in
This post was edited on 12/7/18 at 9:46 am
Posted by LouisvilleKat
Member since Oct 2016
18205 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:51 am to
quote:

I don’t mind the divisions but we need a 9/10 game sec schedule.

Would end up with less bowl teams and less overall money for the SEC IMO
Posted by Dawgsontop34
Member since Jun 2014
42483 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:53 am to
This year it would have been nice to have a little bit more balance of power.

But overall it was only 9-6 for the East so that’s pretty close.

Posted by LMfan
Member since Aug 2014
5145 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:53 am to
I'd be in favor of a pod system.
Posted by Hellmet
Member since Nov 2015
519 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:54 am to
It's fine how it is, the only thing I would change is removing Missouri and replacing them with just about anybody.
Posted by pvilleguru
Member since Jun 2009
60453 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 9:55 am to
quote:

Should the SEC eliminate divisions?

Yes. And go back to only 10 teams.
Posted by RolltidePA
North Carolina
Member since Dec 2010
3477 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:01 am to
Yeah, the divisions need to go. Rewind a few years back and the three, maybe four best teams in the conference were in the west. Go back a few years further and the same was true in the east.

Going to a pod system in one big conference and playing nine conference games is probably best of breed for a big conference. Considering conference realignment is probably going to happen again in a few years, it would be a massive mess to try and integrate more teams in the current alignment. May as well adopt a better way of operating now that can manage growth with less challenges.
This post was edited on 12/7/18 at 10:03 am
Posted by MIZ58
KCMO
Member since Dec 2015
1173 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:03 am to
Why wouldn't Aggie prefer Mizzou? We've had your number in the 2000's for the most part, but prior...yeah I'd rather forget about the 90's. I get it...Mizzou needs A&M more than you need us...we recruit TX hard and a game in state helps us.
Posted by SummerOfGeorge
Member since Jul 2013
102699 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:03 am to
Yea, each team really only has 3-4 games that they really care about having every year. There is no point in roping another 3-4 in there too solely to have a "division".
Posted by PJinAtl
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2007
12745 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:04 am to
You do realize that the Big XII rules wouldn't apply to the SEC, right?

Currently the NCAA rules state that for a conference to have a football championship game, one of two conditions must be met...

1) The conference is divided into two divisions. The members of each division play each other, with the champions of each division meeting in the conference championship game.

2) The teams in the conference play a round robin schedule so that all teams play each other. The two teams with the best conference records then meet in the championship game.

The Big XII satisfies condition 2, because with 10 teams, and a 9 game conference schedule, all Big XII teams play all of the other Big XII teams.

Every other conference, including the SEC, satisfies condition #1.

In order to eliminate divisions and move to the Big XII model, the SEC would have to play a round robin format where every team plays every other team in the regular season. With 14 teams, that would take 13 games in a season to play a round robin schedule.

Now if aTm and Mizzou would like to go back to the Big XII, then both they and the SEC could do an 11 game round robin schedule and still leave one game open for the must have OOC games (UGA/Tech, USC/Clem).
Posted by Draconian Sanctions
Markey's bar
Member since Oct 2008
84836 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:04 am to
It’s a good idea but they won’t do it bc it’s too confusing to the layman. Just like nobody knowing who was in the Leaders or Legends division in the Big Ten, only the hardcore fan will have any idea what the rhyme or reason behind a pod system is.
Posted by SummerOfGeorge
Member since Jul 2013
102699 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:05 am to
quote:

PJinAtl


I'm almost certain they could get a waiver or change that rule if they wanted too.
Posted by SummerOfGeorge
Member since Jul 2013
102699 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:06 am to
quote:

It’s a good idea but they won’t do it bc it’s too confusing to the layman. Just like nobody knowing who was in the Leaders or Legends division in the Big Ten, only the hardcore fan will have any idea what the rhyme or reason behind a pod system is.



I think the sell would be that the whole pod thing is just how to allocate scheduling. The actual standings would just be one list.
Posted by jb4
Member since Apr 2013
12644 posts
Posted on 12/7/18 at 10:06 am to
Worked for basketball keep maybe 4 annual games and rotate 4

Arkansas annual games = LSU, Missouri, ole miss, Texas a&m

Not sure if that can work , math nerds ?
This post was edited on 12/7/18 at 10:07 am
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