New SEC Divisions

[NeverWe'llSever]

Alabama is not going to go away when Saban leaves which is probably 5+ years in the future. Florida has been beating us for the last dozen or so years because we were that bad, not because they were that good. We've got a puncher's chance against them this year, we have virtually no chance against Alabama.

We don’t have a chance against either. TN will never get rid of Bama. Just embrace and accept that. Kick Florida to the curb.

 

[VolPack22]

10 game SEC schedule for me. Top 2 teams play for the SECCG. You could keep divisions if you wanted or you could scrap them for all I care. Tiebreakers, outside of head-to-head, could be settled by best conference record between common opponents, then moving to best record against highest seeded team in SEC and go down the line. If they are more than likely switching to a 12 team CFP then the more conference games, the better.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

We don’t have a chance against either. TN will never get rid of Bama. Just embrace and accept that. Kick Florida to the curb.

Since 2009 Bama is 151-15, Florida is 102-51. I'd rather not run from either, but your narrative that they are the same doesn't hold up. Florida is much weaker.

 

[Orange And Garnet]

I agree with you about Auburn. Even in our bad years we tend to sneak up on them. Take 2018, for instance: We beat them at Jordan-Hare ranked #21 with our rather terrible squad. They didn’t exactly destroy us last year, either, as bad as we were. One play would have completely changed that game.

I think a Tennessee, Vandy, Alabama, and Auburn pod isn’t too bad. We play Bama every year anyway, so losing Georgia & Florida annually would actually be a plus.

The Third Saturday in October looks bad for now, but things will turn around for the Vols soon and make it competitive again.

This pod gives us an elite opponent, a team that can either be elite or mediocre from season to season in Auburn, and a perennial bottom-dweller in Vandy.

Plus, the Tigers are also bringing in a new head coach in Bryan Harsin, so we’re both going through another transition period in our programs.

I’d rather play Auburn & Alabama every year than Georgia, Florida, and Alabama every season.

Going to the pod system would probably eliminate us playing ‘Bama, UGA, & UF every season, as we’d likely only be scheduled to play one of Georgia or Florida in a particular year. We’d likely play Georgia & Kentucky or Florida & South Carolina (or something like that) in a given season, instead. That is, if they do the 9-game schedule of pod + 2 rotating opponents from every other pod.

Year 1
Alabama
Auburn
Vandy

Georgia
Kentucky

Arkansas
Texas

Ole Miss
Texas A&M

Year 2
Alabama
Auburn
Vandy

Florida
South Carolina

Oklahoma
Mizzou

LSU
Miss St

That doesn’t look too bad and is MUCH better than just 2 divisions.

Let’s bring it on.

You’re spot on! I agree completely with all of this and the exact reason why I’m rolling my eyes at the “run for the hills (ACC)!” People.

 

[sjt18]

While the nostalgic part of me would love to see the annual Tennessee-Auburn series return, overall this would blow for Tennessee imo. I'd rather switch places with Georgia.

View attachment 382590

By All Time wins.... alignment would need to account for this also. Balance would mean having one out of each group in each "pod".

Bama
Texas
OU
UT

UGA
LSU
Auburn
TAM

UF
Arkansas
Mizzou
Ole Miss

UK
USCe
Vandy
MSU

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

You’re spot on! I agree completely with all of this and the exact reason why I’m rolling my eyes at the “run for the hills (ACC)!” People.

If you guys can't see it, each of these pods has two teams cast as powers and two b***hs. We are cast as one of the b***hs in this pod with Alabama, switch us with Georgia and then us and Florida are the two powers in that pod. We will get no breaks whatsoever stuck in a pod with Alabama and Auburn with the league office located where it is.

 

[Orange And Garnet]

If you guys can't see it, each of these pods has two teams cast as powers and two b***hs. We are cast as one of the b***hs in this pod with Alabama, switch us with Georgia and then us and Florida are the two powers in that pod. We will get no breaks whatsoever stuck in a pod with Alabama and Auburn with the league office located where it is.

Based on the last 15 years I’d say it’s pretty accurate.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

The more 4 x 4 models I see offered up, the more convinced I am that 2 x 8 is the better way to go.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Based on the last 15 years I’d say it’s pretty accurate.

I'd like us to escape the last 15 years, that's my motivation in seeking a revision.

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Alabama is not going to go away when Saban leaves which is probably 5+ years in the future. Florida has been beating us for the last dozen or so years because we were that bad, not because they were that good. We've got a puncher's chance against them this year, we have virtually no chance against Alabama.

I agree. Bama will still be good even after Saban leaves. Probably looking at another 10+ years, but I doubt they’ll be elite forever.

 

[OrangeEtBlanc]

The only issue with the 3+2X3 Pod schedule model that I see is balancing the home & aways in 9 games and how to determine the SECCG attendees. A 2-game series (each pod champion) will only add MORE games to a slate that may very soon include an 8-12 team playoff.

Perhaps every team plays 1 neutral site game a year to make an even 4/4 split?

Florida & Georgia already play in Jacksonville every year and, I think, LSU & Arkansas have been playing in Jerry World. Texas & Oklahoma already have the Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl.

Perhaps we bring back playing in Birmingham against Alabama? Or even make the UT-Vandy game a “neutral” site at Nissan Stadium? I think it’d be easier to mandate the neutral site game within each pod, as well. 1 home & away and one neutral against pod opponents.

4/4 + 1 seems like a fair way to go. That way no home games are lost AND you get a neutral site location.

Tenn/Bama: Birmingham
Vandy/Auburn: Nissan Stadium in Nashville

Georgia/Florida: Jacksonville
Kentucky/South Carolina: Charlotte

Texas/ OU: Cotton Bowl
Arkansas/Mizzou: ?

LSU/ A&M: Jerry-World
Ole Miss/Miss St: ?

These intra-pod neutral site games could also be rotated where you aren’t playing the same team every season at a neutral site, but that may be a hard sell for UGA/UF & UTX/OU.

As long as the schedule rotations are balanced, a top-2 SEC record SECCG seems fair, even without divisions.

 

[BeardedVol]

By All Time wins.... alignment would need to account for this also. Balance would mean having one out of each group in each "pod".

Bama
Texas
OU
UT

UGA
LSU
Auburn
TAM

UF
Arkansas
Mizzou
Ole Miss

UK
USCe
Vandy
MSU

Wins prior to full integration should have zero impact on how conferences are spilt up, and really, given the changes that have taken place since the early 90's, I'd argue that going back farther than 25 years is too far.

The game is completely different at this point.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Wins prior to full integration should have zero impact on how conferences are spilt up, and really, given the changes that have taken place since the early 90's, I'd argue that going back farther than 25 years is too far.

The game is completely different at this point.

This is from full integration:

I-A Wins 1972-2020

This is from the SEC expansion/the Bowl Alliance Era:

I-A Wins 1992-2020

Pretty crazy that we currently play 3 of the Top 5 winningest teams since 1992, every year.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I agree. Bama will still be good even after Saban leaves. Probably looking at another 10+ years, but I doubt they’ll be elite forever.

Yep, nothing lasts forever. How long will depend on whether his successor is more Ray Perkins or Gene Stallings.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

Ugh. Why is the SEC so bad at this? They screwed everything up when A&M and Mizzou came in; instead of just doing a rotation for the opposite division, they did the "permanent rivals", that means you only get a home game against most SEC West teams every 12 years.

This pod structure is also terrible. Rather there just be an 8-team East and West. Play 7 games against your division, 2 rotating games against the opposite division.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

They’re not a traditional rival. They are Georgia’s rival. Bama, Auburn and Vandy all are traditional Tennessee rivals. It’s a perfect pod to me.

Plus, I’m just tired of the cruel and unusual punishment I have had to endure with the Florida games. I mean how many disgusting endings can you think of? Alex Brown, Gaffney, Tebow 4th and 1, 4th and 14, Hail Mary….enough already.

Yeah, that's why I always thought it was forced. Georgia kinda was too but it felt more natural than Florida. If the series had been more balanced maybe it would be more a rivalry but it just doesn't feel like one. I know several UF fans and honestly none of them care about us that much. They do acknowledge a big part is because we never beat them so we're kinda Vandy to them but they also say we're just at best 3rd or 4th in their rivalry list and it's a big gulf between 2 and 3.

 

[zeppelin128]

The more 4 x 4 models I see offered up, the more convinced I am that 2 x 8 is the better way to go.

East
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vandy

West
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Mizzou
Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Texas
Texas A&M

Seven division games + 2 rotating cross-division games.

 

[Orange Raid]

I saw another model that put us in a pod with Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and South Carolina. That one makes a lot of sense too. I’m all for it though it will never happen because Bama doesn’t want that because their pod would be Bama, Georgia, Florida, and Auburn. Again, I’m more than fine with that.

 

[DeusExMachina]

Meh, just throw every team's logo in a hat. Pull 4, there's a pod. Keep going till completed. Figure it out from there.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I saw another model that put us in a pod with Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and South Carolina. That one makes a lot of sense too. I’m all for it though it will never happen because Bama doesn’t want that because their pod would be Bama, Georgia, Florida, and Auburn. Again, I’m more than fine with that.

Yeah, I think Ohio State's version of Uncle Lou drew that one up.

 

[PowerT4me]

This is huge business now and nothing is sacred. I hate it but nothing is going to change that. So why not have a ranked system like Premier League soccer. Good teams move up. Bad teams move down. At least it puts things on a more level playing field. The best play the best and the rest get some breathing room to rebuild. Readjust every three years. You'd play the six other teams in your division plus three crossovers plus three nonconference games.

 

[Orange And Garnet]

This is huge business now and nothing is sacred. I hate it but nothing is going to change that. So why not have a ranked system like Premier League soccer. Good teams move up. Bad teams move down. At least it puts things on a more level playing field. The best play the best and the rest get some breathing room to rebuild. Readjust every three years. You'd play the six other teams in your division plus three crossovers plus three nonconference games.

We will never see that because of the same reason the big teams in the premier league tried to create a super league. If you suck one year you’re losing out on A LOT of money going down into the lower tier league. Large college football programs will never agree to that risk

 

[Revived2002]

Looks like a strongest 8 against the weakest 8 allign

While the nostalgic part of me would love to see the annual Tennessee-Auburn series return, overall this would blow for Tennessee imo. I'd rather switch places with Georgia.

View attachment 382590

Looks like strongest eight, divided by four, placed in with the weakest eight.

Clear sign many view Tennessee as 9th best program on paper in newly configured SEC.

 

[ArmchairQB]

I'm sure the Oklahoma and Texas ship has already sailed but I'd rather pull from the ACC any day.

18 teams, three divisions. Nine game conference schedule, play all of your division and two each from the other two divisions each year. Four team SEC championship - division winners and the best at-large each year, for years where a division's number two team is just as good as another division's number one team.

Alabama
Auburn
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Virginia

Clemson
Florida
Florida State
Georgia
North Carolina
South Carolina

Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Missouri
Ole Miss
Texas A&M

 

[rjd970]

So much handwringing from the faint of heart. Sack up, stop whining, beat the best on their best day.

I'm sorry, but this line of thinking is just plain silly. In a fair game with a fair system? Absolutely. Let's sack up and go to war.

However, college football has never been fair and the system is not designed for parity and equality. Maintaining a rivalry where we can't possibly compete to get our teeth kicked in annually just for the sake of puffing our chest is stupid. Like it or not, Bama runs this conference and will for at least another decade, if not longer. We are the only team in the East that has to deal with them annually and it puts us at a competitive disadvantage against the other division teams.

We should drop them and sack up in the conference title game to play them.