| FTBL SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Says Conference Is Considering Moving to 1 Division

[rick4bama]

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Says Conference Is Considering Moving to 1 Division


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SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Thursday that the conference is "leaning heavily" toward switching to a one-division alignment for football.

Sankey told Marc Ryan of CBS Sports Radio discussions about a single division have taken precedence over the current two-division setup or a possible four-pod structure.

The SEC, which is scheduled to expand to 16 teams in 2025 with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas, has been in discussions about future alignment for awhile.

In September, Sankey said the idea of pods—a 4x4 plan—"really doesn't work" for much the same reason the current two-division system has drawn ire: the lack of home-and-away meetings between programs in different divisions.


At the time, the biggest question the conference was working through was whether it would increase the number of conference games in coordination with the likely division change.

"The focus in football is on a single division right now," Sankey told reporters. "The real debate is eight or nine [conference] games. That doesn't mean divisions are completely erased from our consideration but they're not at the forefront of our thinking."

So far, it appears one division remains the runaway favorite.



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Although it's impossible to create a balanced schedule with 16 teams and eight or nine conference games, getting rid of the divisions would allow the playing field to level out over the course of multiple years, something that isn't possible with the current structure.

As it stands, there are three Power Five conferences with divisions: the ACC, Big Ten and SEC and two without divisions: the Big 12 and Pac-12.

It's unclear whether the SEC could expedite the divisional adjustment to put it in place between Oklahoma and Texas make the move from the Big 12.


So I'm guessing it will be like the PAC 12? The top two teams will play for the Championship?

 

[alabama mike]

I think this is a good idea because Alabama would get to play teams more often from the "east" than they do now. I'd personally like to see UK, SC, UF, Vandy, Mizzo and UGA more often than every blue moon.

 

[OldPlayer]

I think this is a good idea because Alabama would get to play teams more often from the "east" than they do now. I'd personally like to see UK, SC, UF, Vandy, Mizzo and UGA more often than every blue moon.

At the same time, they'll play LSU, A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State less. It won't be a toe dip in the water. Other than traditional rivals (Tennessee and Auburn), all the other teams will join the rotation.

 

[94 Grad]

Do away with OOC and just play a rotating 12 conference game schedule without traditional rivalry... top two teams go to SEC championship game. Will never happen, but wow it would be fun!

 

[bamascw]

We will have to see a 9 game conference schedule at that point if not 10. The only issue would be is there still a conference championship game

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Doing the math means this could lead to up to 3 yearly rivals, assuming that the goal is to play at least 1 home and home with every other team in a 4 year period.

If you have 1 rival you play yearly, then you need 8 games a year to fit everyone in home and home in 4 years (1 team 4 times and 14 teams 2 times is 32 total games).

If you have 3 rivals you play yearly then you need 9 games a year to fit that in (3 teams 4 times and 12 teams 2 times is 36 total games).

Having 2 rivals can work with at least 9 games as it averages to 8.5 games per year necessary for a 4 year total cycle. That really leaves 2 games over the 4 years to play with on the full home and home schedule.

A 10 game conference schedule with 2 rivals would really be nice as it means you average a full cycle at least every 4 years, but you also play each team more often than that. Other than the 2 rivals you play every year, you get 4 games against every other team across 6 years. The schedule could see you play every team in the conference over 2 years (including some you play two years straight), and get home and home at least once every 4 years.

The only issue is the conference championship. That tie breaker is going to be a nightmare if you can't get enough head to head and common opponent games scheduled.

 

[rick4bama]

The way I see it the SECCG would be the top two? Like what the pac 12 will be doing this year?

 

[OldPlayer]

The way I see it the SECCG would be the top two? Like what the pac 12 will be doing this year?

The Big 12 (with only 10 teams) doesn’t have divisions and the top 2 go to their CCG.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Think about what 2026 and forward Bama schedules will look like with a nine-game conference slate:

2026​

• 09/05 - at West Virginia
• 09/12 - USF
• 09/19 - Florida State

2027​

• 09/04 - West Virginia
• 09/18 - at Ohio State

2028​

• 09/09 - Ohio State
• 09/16 - UT Martin
• 09/23 - at Oklahoma State

2029​

• 09/01 - at Notre Dame
• 09/15 - Oklahoma State

2030​

• 08/31 - at Georgia Tech
• 09/14 - Notre Dame

2031​

• 08/30 - Georgia Tech
• 09/13 - at Boston College

2032​

• 09/04 - Arizona
• 09/18 - at Minnesota

2033​

• 09/03 - at Arizona
• 09/17 - Minnesota

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Do away with OOC and just play a rotating 12 conference game schedule without traditional rivalry... top two teams go to SEC championship game. Will never happen, but wow it would be fun!

or the top four could just go straight to the playoff...

 

[alabama mike]

One division with 16 teams will be tough to swing schedule wise. I am sure that Sankey and crew have thought about that and are working to get schedules in place. The thing I do not like about the current set up is Bama only plays teams in the east once every blue moon.

Personally, I have no problem with getting rid of some of the cream puff games we play. They are a complete joke in my opinion.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

One division with 16 teams will be tough to swing schedule wise.

It isn't actually that bad, depending on how many yearly rivals you get and how many conference games there are a season.

With one rival you need 32 games to complete a home and home with everyone (14 teams 2 games, 1 team 4 games). That is 8 games across 4 seasons.

With 2 rivals you need 34 games to complete it (13 teams 2 games, 2 teams 4 games), which means 9 conference games to complete it in 4 years and you would have 2 extra conference games to play with on the schedule. That also means you will only have 1-2 year breaks between playing the same non-rival.

With 3 rivals you need 36 to complete it (12 teams at 2 games and 3 teams at 4 games). That is an even 9 conference games a year.

Were they to go to 10 conference games this all becomes so much easier. That would really let you have 4 rivals and still have games left as that only takes up 38 games.

The first big question becomes who gets who as rivals. To me every team having 3 rivals and a 9 game schedule makes sense here.

The second really becomes the rules for who goes to the SECCG. It is easily conceivable that more than 2 teams could be tied in the SEC and also not have played each other. Rotating schedule groups make sense for that and they may use that for scheduling to some extent without actually announcing the groupings.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

The first big question becomes who gets who as rivals. To me every team having 3 rivals and a 9 game schedule makes sense here.
.

According to some at UA, that's where it is headed ( I think Sankey has even basically said so publicly also). The ironing out of the rivals has been the issue. Bama wants auburn, Tenn, and MSU (not surprising). Regardless, it may as well be written in pencil... as soon as things get comfortable, more expansion will almost certainly take place.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

According to some at UA, that's where it is headed ( I think Sankey has even basically said so publicly also). The ironing out of the rivals has been the issue. Bama wants auburn, Tenn, and MSU (not surprising). Regardless, it may as well be written in pencil... as soon as things get comfortable, more expansion will almost certainly take place.

I expect most schedules will be 4 years at a time. That is about how long it takes to get an expansion done it seems. If they are smart they would probably have replacement schedules ready with things like Team A, Team B, etc for the possible additions to be able to drop them in.

I think the only real hard part right now is working around existing OOC contracted games. Unless the SEC itself is willing to pay to buy them out they can't touch those.

 

[PurlJam]

Can't see a reason to have an SECCG if you go to 1 division. IMO, it would be better overall to not play the game and a better chance to get more SEC teams in the 12 team playoffs.

 

[bama alum]

Can't see a reason to have an SECCG if you go to 1 division. IMO, it would be better overall to not play the game and a better chance to get more SEC teams in the 12 team playoffs.

With a twelve-team playoff, what's the point. I agree. The top four teams will likely be invited to the playoff each year anyway.

 

[OldPlayer]

Can't see a reason to have an SECCG if you go to 1 division. IMO, it would be better overall to not play the game and a better chance to get more SEC teams in the 12 team playoffs.

Whoever loses the SECCG has a good chance to make the 12-team playoff. Winning the SECCG gives a team a better chance.

 

[PurlJam]

Whoever loses the SECCG has a good chance to make the 12-team playoff. Winning the SECCG gives a team a better chance.

I agree, but I'm looking at it as a wear and tear kind of deal on the players. If you're already in, no reason to risk injury and be good and rested for the playoffs.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Can't see a reason to have an SECCG if you go to 1 division. IMO, it would be better overall to not play the game and a better chance to get more SEC teams in the 12 team playoffs.

The main reason to always have it is $$$. But, way down the road when the SEC and Big Ten likely break away as super conferences, it'll probably become basically CFB's version of the NFC (or AFC) conference championship game, with the winner facing the Big Ten champion for the national title.

 

[BamaFan334]

Whoever loses the SECCG has a good chance to make the 12-team playoff. Winning the SECCG gives a team a better chance.

Tell LSU that.