🏈 Amongst all this expansion talk

[rammerjammer]

I have tried to wrap my head around conference scheduling.

Right now we play all 5 of our western division opponents. We have Tennessee as our lone consistent east opponent and then we rotate the other 5 on a 2 year home and home series.

If we were to expand to a 14 team conference I could see where it would be feasible to continue with our tradition of 3rd Saturday in October and maintain rotating an east opponent. But you could only do one opponent and rotate them, unless you were able to meet them in the SECCG.

How in the world would you be able to play another divisional opponent and maintain your rivalry. Bama/UT. AU/UGA are two biggies that come to mind. I really don't want the SEC beating up on each other any more than they have to. The only thing I see working for the 16 team conference would be to add one more conference opponent and work it like the 14 team concept. Play one east opponent consistently and rotate them. It would take 14 years to run through the east division if we do a home and home the way it is currently set up. :dazed:

 

[Big_Fan]

Seasons have gone to 12 games now. They could be considering a 9 game conference slate with 3 out of conference...but that could potentially make for a brutal schedule if your rotation included UF and UGA. It would make it difficult to schedule top national opponents because of the need for revenue and a win.

Or they could just keep the system how it is and rotate the east...it would be 8 years, not 14, since we rotate 2 teams every 2 years.

 

[rammerjammer]

I got cha BF.

I was saying if they ran the 1 team rotation on a 16 team conference. That would put you at 14 years going through the entire eastern division before you started back over. Play UT every year and also one other east opponent in a home and home. Doing it that way would take the 14 years.

I'm with you I really am not all that keen on adding another conference opponent. Even in down years, any team in this conference is liable to put a tail whipping on you. Look at the 2 losses to LSU in their championship run. Urban has yet to go undefeated at UF. One more conference game with the likes of Texas or FSU could prove to be disastrous. My only hope would be that if they added 4 teams that the Big 10 would do the same. This will increase the likelyhood of teams making it to the MNC game with a loss.

 

[psychojoe]

Perhaps I am reading the tea leaves incorrectly, but if the Big 10 adds just one team (to get to 12 and thus have a football championship game) I don't see the SEC doing anything. It is if the Big 10 looks to jump to 14 or 16 teams that the SEC has to act. Unless there is some major indicator that the Big 12 is falling apart, making Texas available, I think the SEC just reacts to what the Big 10 does. It feels like there are plans already in place.

Looks like this will be a major topic of conversation all summer.

 

[BadAllergies]

I agree with psychojoe.

I think anything the SEC will do will be completely reactionary and will all depend on what the Big 10 does. If Big 10 goes to 12, SEC stays the same. If Big 10 goes to 16, SEC goes to 16. 14 team conferences I don't see happening.

I really have a feeling we'll see 4 major conferences when this is all done(whenever it happens) SEC, Big 10, Pac 10 and the big 12/ACC fight it out to make the 4th big conference. If there were 4 major conferences it would set up real nicely for a 4 team playoff with the winners of each conference. maybe i'm dreaming.

 

[AlabamaAubKiller]

Yes but then your leaving out all of the Boise States of the world. Where praytell are they to go? are they to be just left out in the cold to defend for them selvs?! (yeah, i know right!? who cares) lol i certainly don't.

But you can bet that Orrin Hatch (that worthless republican slimeball) will be up in arms over it.

(disclaimer: before i tick anyone off....The only thing i hate in this world more than a Muslim is a Republican. And i wouldn't pee on a Democrat to put one out if they were on fire. and as much as i despise Nacy Pelosi....i loath Boehner & the right even more. Kinda goes with being in the middle. I'm a Centrist.)

 

[psychojoe]

Yes but then your leaving out all of the Boise States of the world. Where praytell are they to go? are they to be just left out in the cold to defend for them selvs?! (yeah, i know right!? who cares) lol i certainly don't.

Now you have my twisted brain lurching off in another direction. If we end up with 4 super conferences of 16 teams each, consider this:

The SEC, ACC and Big 12 have 12 teams each, while the Big 10 has 11 and the Pac 10 has 10. This makes for a total of 57, with 64 teams needed to fill out the super conferences. The Big East would add Pitt, West Virginia, and stretching a bit, U Conn and Rutgers. That still leaves you short some teams. Notre Dame probably would still abstain. There wwould be slots available for teams such as TCU, Utah, BYU, Boise. Just not all of them.

 

[LBS]

Think outside the box. Consider these points:

• The traditional rivalries are money-makers, thus are keepers.
• The value of playing an SEC schedule beyond the rivalries is anchored in the top-to-bottom strength of the conference. That is to say, we impress not because we play in the SEC West or SEC East, but because we play in the SEC (Period).
• The greater the number of members, the fewer chances we have to play all the team when we lock in yearly commitments.

Honoring traditional rivalries in conference and with potential new members will require no less than three games (UGA plays FLA, AUB, and Georgia Tech). I submit that each school schedule three year-in-year-out opponents, to continue existing rivarlies and create new ones where there are not any currently. Then with the balance of the conference schedule rotate through the rest of the conference with home-an-home series. This is how we address the teams in the other division, and it seems to work thus far.

 

[BadAllergies]

Yes but then your leaving out all of the Boise States of the world. Where praytell are they to go? are they to be just left out in the cold to defend for them selvs?! (yeah, i know right!? who cares) lol i certainly don't.

QUOTE]

You are just thinking about current football talent and results, when what really matters in money brought in by schools and money the conferences share with the schools.

TCU is the only school I see that has an easy chance of being picked up easily by the big 12 if they lose one. I don't see the road for Boise/Utah being as easy.

Plus, Who needs them, let them continue to rule the small conferences.

 

[planomateo]

personally, I think the SEC should be the one leading the charge for expansion. Screw the Big-10...why should they be first to 14 or 16, we should call the bluff and make the super conf that folks have been talking about.

 

[252BAMA]

personally, I think the SEC should be the one leading the charge for expansion. Screw the Big-10...why should they be first to 14 or 16, we should call the bluff and make the super conf that folks have been talking about.

Exactly! Especially if Texas and A&M are in play, and it certainly appears they are. Would be stupid to lose them to the little eleven.