🏈 From Crimson Crazy: SEC Expansion, When Does More Become Too Much?

[BAMANEWSBOT]

It will not be long before players start reporting to their prospective campuses all across the SEC to begin the long hot difficult job of earning a starting position on this year's roster. Both players and coaches across the Conference will begin their routine of preparing themselves for what they hope will be a successful outcome, both individually and as a team. There is one thing however about the 2012 season that makes this upcoming season anything but routine and that is the addition of two new members to the already very competitive SEC.

Those new additions are the Texas A&M Aggies and the Missouri Tigers from the former powerhouse and now dwindling Big 12 Conference. How these two football programs will effect the race for the SEC Conference Championship Game set for December 1, 2012 in Atlanta is yet to reveal itself, but be assured that these new members will have a say in who will represent both the SEC East and SEC West this December in Atlanta.

Both teams not only have the ability to compete in the SEC but to they also have the ability to succeed as well.

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[TerryP]

This year, I can see Mizzou having a say IF they come out of their first month with at least a .500 mark in SEC play. If they drop their first two games they'll have very little say in who ends up in ATL. Now, I'm saying that based on the notion they won't get out of Knoxville or Gainesville with W this season.

Those Aggies? It's easy for me to see that University having the same uphill climb we saw with UArk and UofSC. It'll be a few years before we start seeing them become "games to watch."

Now, to your original point, "how much is too much?"

I don't mind the 14 team conference and can't say seeing 16 would bother me either. But, that is with this caveat. I do believe we need to move to a nine-game conference schedule. I don't want to see us lose our annual game with UT, but there isn't any reason why we couldn't schedule them outside of the nine SEC games as it is. If we lose the game? It's one of the changes in life we have to endure. Things simply don't remain the same.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Personally, there should be 6-16 team conferences with 8 team divisions (yep, only 96 teams). Your conference schedule is only your division, and any games with the other division are counted as OOC and do not impact your division standings (except possibly in tie-breaker situations). The winners of each division play for the conference championship and then the winners there go into the playoffs. Top two ranked get a bye week in the playoffs.

 

[psychojoe]

A couple of years ago I thought a 16 team conference with two 8 team divisions was a good thing. Now I am not so sure. Coach Saban's idea about a player who plays for four years being able to play against every conference member is something thta resonates with me. Also, as those of you who have known me over the years are aware, I very much want to preserve the traditional rivalries. With 14 teams, if we exand to a nine game conference schedule, and everyone preserves one tradition cross division rival, we can manage this. ( I too am a proponennt of a nine game conference schedule.)16 team begins to be unweildy. To go past 14 teams, the 15th and 16th members would have to bring a lot to the table.

 

[Bo]

I think Mizzou stands a chance of competing for the SEC East.

As for your question, Like Terry I'm good with 14 teams. And I believe they should go to a 9 game conference schedule. I wouldn't be totally against a 16 team conference, but a lot of it would depend on who the other 2 teams were. And I don't see any of the teams I wouldn't mind adding ever being added.

 

[TerryP]

Personally, there should be 6-16 team conferences with 8 team divisions (yep, only 96 teams). Your conference schedule is only your division, and any games with the other division are counted as OOC and do not impact your division standings (except possibly in tie-breaker situations). The winners of each division play for the conference championship and then the winners there go into the playoffs. Top two ranked get a bye week in the playoffs.

Some of that I like. The 96 teams?!?! H. E. Double L, no. If we had 67 in the top "division" of football we'll end up having far too many teams that will just be a financial drain on the conference coffers. Right now, the SEC teams are fortunate because all the schools are turning a profit. A move like that means bringing in a lot of dead weight.

I'm of the opinion if a school can't at least break even in the athletic department, they need to GTFO out of D1. Heck, considering the liability UAB's football program has been on the state...sounds like a damn good place to start.

 

[TerryP]

I think Mizzou stands a chance of competing for the SEC East.

As for your question, Like Terry I'm good with 14 teams. And I believe they should go to a 9 game conference schedule. I wouldn't be totally against a 16 team conference, but a lot of it would depend on who the other 2 teams were. And I don't see any of the teams I wouldn't mind adding ever being added.

OK Bo, do you think Mizzou beats UofSC or UGA?

 

[CrimsonVette]

I'm OK with the 14 teams and 16 would be Ok as well. My reasons are the same as most of the rest of you and I agree that the next two teams would have to be pretty big name teams.

I also agree with Terry that if a team is "dead weight" they do not need to be included and yes, there are teams that have no need to be in division 1 football.

The thing I'm cautious about and think could be a bad thing for college football would be the so called 20 team "super conferences" Just seems a bit to over the top to me.

On another note if we were to go to 16 teams, re-alinement would become something that could happen and loosing traditional games almost a certainty. Could you deal with loosing the Iron Bowl for example...on second thought, that may not be a bad idea cosidering how stupid some of the fringe nut job so called fans have become over this game. I can not stand those type fans on either side and, for me, it's starting to ruin this game and make our state look real bad. Sorry, rant off.

 

[Bo]

OK Bo, do you think Mizzou beats UofSC or UGA?

UofSC? Possible, but not probable.

UGA? With that game in Columbia, and add in all the off season problems UGA has had, I honestly think it's VERY possible that they beat them.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Some of that I like. The 96 teams?!?! H. E. Double L, no. If we had 67 in the top "division" of football we'll end up having far too many teams that will just be a financial drain on the conference coffers. Right now, the SEC teams are fortunate because all the schools are turning a profit. A move like that means bringing in a lot of dead weight.

I'm of the opinion if a school can't at least break even in the athletic department, they need to GTFO out of D1. Heck, considering the liability UAB's football program has been on the state...sounds like a damn good place to start.

I honestly wanted just 64 teams, but I think that will be too big of a change because it cuts the current number in half. That is never going to happen. Contraction to 96 is a pipe dream probably.

I would prefer something similar to the soccer leagues in Europe. Two 64 team leagues. Every year (or couple of years) the bottom 16 in the top league move to the lower league and the top 16 from the lower league move up. The only problem there is the conferences.

 

[TerryP]

I honestly wanted just 64 teams, but I think that will be too big of a change because it cuts the current number in half. That is never going to happen. Contraction to 96 is a pipe dream probably.

I would prefer something similar to the soccer leagues in Europe. Two 64 team leagues. Every year (or couple of years) the bottom 16 in the top league move to the lower league and the top 16 from the lower league move up. The only problem there is the conferences.

That's an interesting thought.

 

[planomateo]

When does more become too much?

Good question, I don't know to be honest. Change is often hard to deal with, at work change is constant - reorganizations, new leaders, and new directions just to name a few. Such is the life of an IT job I suppose where we are always trying to improve what we have so that we can deliver for our shareholders and customers.

Back to football, I'm excited about Texas A&M and Missouri joining, I like that the SEC is pushing the envelope - I'd rather the SEC set the pace than another conference.

If we go to super conferences, then I'd like to see the scholarship limit bumped to north of 100 to help with depth/injury/scheduling issues that will probably arise. I'm just not sure the schools would approve more scholarships in light of state budgeting issues right now.

Agree with you on the soccer assessment, swapping out the bottom % to different leagues is a pretty cool concept - first I've heard of someone suggest this in football.