SEC Switching Up Divisions

[Cocky4SC]

I brought this up in a thread yesterday and wanted some input on it...

With this year being a mess already with having to add two more additional cross divisional games, would this not have been a great year to look at changing up the divisions? Move Arkansas to the East and Missouri to the west since they geographically the farthest East division team...

The other thing that would have been interesting is to do away with the divisions all together, much like basketball, and play 9 conference games. Have the top two teams play for the SEC championship...

 

[BlackMagik]

Missouri to the West, Auburn to the East

 

[Cocky4SC]

Missouri to the West, Auburn to the East

I'd be fine with that, unfortunately the commissioner of the league, Alabama, wouldn't allow for it because of their rivalry and since they already have Tennessee as their annual cross division, they would have to chose between keeping Tennessee yearly or switching it to Auburn. Bama wouldn't have that.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

I saw someone suggest this realignment recently, which makes the most sense (geographically) of any such proposals I've seen in all the years.

SEC E -
Alabama
Auburn
UF
UGa
UK
USC
UT

SEC W -
Arkansas
LSU
Mizzou
MSU
Ole Miss
TAMU
Vandy

It protects most of the traditional rivalry games, save for Bama/LSU, and UT/Vandy. But that is solved by making those permanent cross division opponents.

Also, I fully support us going to 9, or even 10, conference games a season.

 

[SLODAWG]

I saw someone suggest this realignment recently, which makes the most sense (geographically) of any such proposals I've seen in all the years.

SEC E -
Alabama
Auburn
UF
UGa
UK
USC
UT

SEC W -
Arkansas
LSU
Mizzou
MSU
Ole Miss
TAMU
Vandy

It protects most of the traditional rivalry games, save for Bama/LSU, and UT/Vandy. But that is solved by making those permanent cross division opponents.

Also, I fully support us going to 9, or even 10, conference games a season.

Geographically it may make sense but for SC, TN, and UK, that is murder's row.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Geographically it may make sense but for SC, TN, and UK, that is murder's row.

We play in the SEC. No matter what it's murderer's row. Time to put on the big boy underoos and big girl panties and deal with it.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

My proposed realignment:
“No legacy division”
Missouri
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Arkansas
USC
Miss State
Ole Miss

“Legacy Division”
Auburn
LSU
Georgia
Alabama
Texas A & M
Florida
Tennessee

It’s not geographic. It just “preserves the rivalries” and gives us a chance not to get curb stomped regularly. Propose it to Sankey. As funny as it sounds, half the conference would like it. LOL.

 

[DrMickey]

Geographically it may make sense but for SC, TN, and UK, that is murder's row.

Ahh. It’s so nostalgic and to think about when it mattered if we had a murderer’s row. Oh well. Maybe someday again...

 

[NC Garnet & Black]

Get rid of divisions all together. Top 2 play in SEC championship game.

 

[king ward]

Eliminate divisions altogether. Round Robin schedule that preserves undisputed rivalries. Championship game featuring top two teams identified by a points system.

 

[MowerDave]

Geographically it may make sense but for SC, TN, and UK, that is murder's row.

I saw someone suggest this realignment recently, which makes the most sense (geographically) of any such proposals I've seen in all the years.

SEC E -
Alabama
Auburn
UF
UGa
UK
USC
UT

SEC W -
Arkansas
LSU
Mizzou
MSU
Ole Miss
TAMU
Vandy

It protects most of the traditional rivalry games, save for Bama/LSU, and UT/Vandy. But that is solved by making those permanent cross division opponents.

Also, I fully support us going to 9, or even 10, conference games a season.

Makes sense geographically, but boy is that ever off-balance power wise. LSU would have a clear path the SECCG virtually every year. The only other legitimate contender would be A&M. That east alignment makes the UGA/UF/UT gauntlet from the 90s look like a total cake walk. I know we have almost no chance of ever winning the East as it is, but we can at least talk about it theoretically. Sneak off an upset of UGA or UF and who knows? But that alignment? No chance ever. We have a better shot of winning the NFC East.

Just stop calling the divisions SEC East and SEC West. There's no reason divisions have to be broken up geographically anyway.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Eliminate divisions altogether. Round Robin schedule that preserves undisputed rivalries. Championship game featuring top two teams identified by a points system.

I could get behind this too.

 

[king ward]

Makes sense geographically, but boy is that ever off-balance power wise. LSU would have a clear path the SECCG virtually every year. The only other legitimate contender would be A&M. That east alignment makes the UGA/UF/UT gauntlet from the 90s look like a total cake walk. I know we have almost no chance of ever winning the East as it is, but we can at least talk about it theoretically. Sneak off an upset of UGA or UF and who knows? But that alignment? No chance ever. We have a better shot of winning the NFC East.

Just stop calling the divisions SEC East and SEC West. There's no reason divisions have to be broken up geographically anyway.

Forge divisions altogether. Change the paradigm.

 

[MowerDave]

Forge divisions altogether. Change the paradigm.

I think that'd be fine, but I thought there was something about needing divisions in order to have a championship game?

We'd stand pretty much no shot ever at getting to the top 2 in that scenario. Not that that's the criteria for deciding how to align the conference.

 

[king ward]

I think that'd be fine, but I thought there was something about needing divisions in order to have a championship game?

We'd stand pretty much no shot ever at getting to the top 2 in that scenario. Not that that's the criteria for deciding how to align the conference.

You assure yourselves the two most deserving teams every year by adopting a points system. A number of SEC Championship games have been turkeys, mismatches. This would obviate most of that.

 

[MowerDave]

You assure yourselves the two most deserving teams every year by adopting a points system. A number of SEC Championship games have been turkeys, mismatches. This would obviate most of that.

Unless my understanding is wrong, to have a conference championship game without divisions, you have to have a full round-robin schedule...everyone has to play everyone else. Can't do that with 14 teams.

 

[section2cock]

I'd be fine with that, unfortunately the commissioner of the league, Alabama, wouldn't allow for it because of their rivalry and since they already have Tennessee as their annual cross division, they would have to chose between keeping Tennessee yearly or switching it to Auburn. Bama wouldn't have that.

Actually they could pull it off if the often talked about 9 conference game seasons do happen down the road. However, 8 is enough in the SEC unless you're Alabama.

 

[Cocky4SC]

Unless my understanding is wrong, to have a conference championship game without divisions, you have to have a full round-robin schedule...everyone has to play everyone else. Can't do that with 14 teams.

Do we play everyone is basketball? I know it's apples and oranges, but seems to me the two with the best win percentages square off in Atlanta.

 

[MowerDave]

Do we play everyone is basketball? I know it's apples and oranges, but seems to me the two with the best win percentages square off in Atlanta.

I'm just basing it off what I was reading online. Prior to 2016, the NCAA required a minimum of 12 teams with 2 divisions for a conference championship game. They changed at the end of 2015 to allow smaller conferences to have a championship game, provided they played a full round-robin schedule. Not sure if any of that has changed. That's for football.

For basketball, we do play everyone in the conference at least once I believe. Some we play 2x.

 

[Silver_Coconut]

Do we play everyone is basketball? I know it's apples and oranges, but seems to me the two with the best win percentages square off in Atlanta.

They have a tournament.

 

[Cocky4SC]

They have a tournament.

You still have a regular season champion though correct? I remember back when BJ and Melvin played and we ended up that year winning it over Kentucky...
Something has to be better than we currently have. I hate the idea of permanent cross division rivals, especially when Texas A&M and Mizzou came into the conference at the same time, geographically, they should be paired up against each other, but I'm sure Bama and Georgia disagreed with that. Remember they came into the SEC in 2012... right when Spurrier had the Cocks rolling... I'm sure Georgia made their voices heard loud and clear and did everything they could to switch us up to Texas A&M, who annually has a good team.

 

[Legendary Cock]

Eliminate divisions altogether. Round Robin schedule that preserves undisputed rivalries. Championship game featuring top two teams identified by a points system.

I can get behind that. But do it like the NFL does it. In other words, the two teams that play in the championship game would have the two toughest schedules in the conference the following year, and on down to the two teams that finished last having the easiest schedules, based on how all teams finished the prior year.

It wouldn't be perfect -- nothing is. But it would at least eliminate the perception (reality?) that the SEC protects its top dogs just to give them an easier path to a championship.

 

[MowerDave]

You still have a regular season champion though correct? I remember back when BJ and Melvin played and we ended up that year winning it over Kentucky...
Something has to be better than we currently have. I hate the idea of permanent cross division rivals, especially when Texas A&M and Mizzou came into the conference at the same time, geographically, they should be paired up against each other, but I'm sure Bama and Georgia disagreed with that. Remember they came into the SEC in 2012... right when Spurrier had the Cocks rolling... I'm sure Georgia made their voices heard loud and clear and did everything they could to switch us up to Texas A&M, who annually has a good team.

Yeah, you're right about the regular season champion, but that seems to be more of a token thing.

Under the current guidelines, I really don't think we can do away with divisions in football and still keep the championship game.

 

[MowerDave]

Per the NCAA:

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/...bs-conferences-fewer-12-members-now-able-hold

 

[Legendary Cock]

Unless my understanding is wrong, to have a conference championship game without divisions, you have to have a full round-robin schedule...everyone has to play everyone else. Can't do that with 14 teams.

It seems to me that we're moving to the point where we tell the NCAA what we're going to do. Not the other way around.

 

[MowerDave]

It seems to me that we're moving to the point where we tell the NCAA what we're going to do. Not the other way around.

I'd be fine with that, but I don't think we'll go there.

We're stuck with divisions until the NCAA changes rules.

 

[vacock#]

If we win our games, there should be no argument that we deserve a high ranking regardless of low we started.

 

[hillstosea]

You still have a regular season champion though correct? I remember back when BJ and Melvin played and we ended up that year winning it over Kentucky...
Something has to be better than we currently have. I hate the idea of permanent cross division rivals, especially when Texas A&M and Mizzou came into the conference at the same time, geographically, they should be paired up against each other, but I'm sure Bama and Georgia disagreed with that. Remember they came into the SEC in 2012... right when Spurrier had the Cocks rolling... I'm sure Georgia made their voices heard loud and clear and did everything they could to switch us up to Texas A&M, who annually has a good team.

 

[hillstosea]

Put auburn in the east and Missouri in the west

 

[Legendary Cock]

I'd be fine with that, but I don't think we'll go there.

We're stuck with divisions until the NCAA changes rules.

Maybe. But the NCAA has been proven to be completely useless throughout this pandemic, leaving the conference to fend for themselves. The Power 5 basically forced the NCAA to allow full cost of living benefits because it was tired of being hamstrung by the smaller schools that wanted to pretend to be D1 schools.

Now with all that combined with the failure of leadership that is Mark Emmert, I wouldn't be surprised if the Power 5 started throwing their weight around more or maybe just break off from the NCAA altogether.

 

[Cocky4SC]

I can get behind that. But do it like the NFL does it. In other words, the two teams that play in the championship game would have the two toughest schedules in the conference the following year, and on down to the two teams that finished last having the easiest schedules, based on how all teams finished the prior year.

It wouldn't be perfect -- nothing is. But it would at least eliminate the perception (reality?) that the SEC protects its top dogs just to give them an easier path to a championship.

It isn't a perception... it's a reality... Did you see who Georgia and Alabama picked up respectively? I really like the idea that they "seed" the conference the following year based on the results from the previous year. While yes, it's still the SEC, I think the competitive balance would even some of the conference out.

 

[silverspur4life]

I brought this up in a thread yesterday and wanted some input on it...

With this year being a mess already with having to add two more additional cross divisional games, would this not have been a great year to look at changing up the divisions? Move Arkansas to the East and Missouri to the west since they geographically the farthest East division team...

The other thing that would have been interesting is to do away with the divisions all together, much like basketball, and play 9 conference games. Have the top two teams play for the SEC championship...

I say scrap the divisions. Let the top two teams play in the SEC championship game. Play a 9 game season with four set teams and then rotate the other five every two years. This would make everyone happy.

 

[Cocky4SC]

I say scrap the divisions. Let the top two teams play in the SEC championship game. Play a 9 game season with four set teams and then rotate the other five every two years. This would make everyone happy.

Basically allows for the traditional Rivalries Bama/Auburn Florida/Georgia Bama/Tennesse then add in the Georgia/Carolina Vandy/Tennessee and then having the rotational teams would basically be home/home... then switch 'em up... I like that idea silver.

 

[viennacocks]

I brought this up in a thread yesterday and wanted some input on it...

With this year being a mess already with having to add two more additional cross divisional games, would this not have been a great year to look at changing up the divisions? Move Arkansas to the East and Missouri to the west since they geographically the farthest East division team...

The other thing that would have been interesting is to do away with the divisions all together, much like basketball, and play 9 conference games. Have the top two teams play for the SEC championship...

In my opinion, get rid of the division. Rotate all teams and keep 1 team on the schedule every year.

 

[king ward]

I can get behind that. But do it like the NFL does it. In other words, the two teams that play in the championship game would have the two toughest schedules in the conference the following year, and on down to the two teams that finished last having the easiest schedules, based on how all teams finished the prior year.

It wouldn't be perfect -- nothing is. But it would at least eliminate the perception (reality?) that the SEC protects its top dogs just to give them an easier path to a championship.

I would agree to the loaded schedule only if all the Power-5 conferences are doing it the same way. Still, UPC couldn't get a tough conference schedule no matter what the league did.

 

[Legendary Cock]

It isn't a perception... it's a reality... Did you see who Georgia and Alabama picked up respectively? I really like the idea that they "seed" the conference the following year based on the results from the previous year. While yes, it's still the SEC, I think the competitive balance would even some of the conference out.

Yeah, I'm of the opinion it's a reality, too. But I had to add that caveat for those that aren't convinced.

 

[Legendary Cock]

I would agree to the loaded schedule only if all the Power-5 conferences are doing it the same way. Still, UPC couldn't get a tough conference schedule no matter what the league did.

I agree. If we went to an 9 or 10 game conference slate every year, I would definitely want there to be a rule that the OOC games had to be against teams in the other Power 5 conferences. That would make for some great matchups all season while doing away with playing D2 teams and the like.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

My proposed realignment:
“No legacy division”
Missouri
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Arkansas
USC
Miss State
Ole Miss

“Legacy Division”
Auburn
LSU
Georgia
Alabama
Texas A & M
Florida
Tennessee

It’s not geographic. It just “preserves the rivalries” and gives us a chance not to get curb stomped regularly. Propose it to Sankey. As funny as it sounds, half the conference would like it. LOL.

Taking it a step further with one cross division permanent rival:

Arkansas vs LSU
Vandy vs Tennessee
Georgia vs USC
Alabama vs Ole Miss
Auburn vs Miss State
Texas A & M vs Missouri
Florida vs Kentucky

 

[DarnSteph]

I say scrap the divisions. Let the top two teams play in the SEC championship game. Play a 9 game season with four set teams and then rotate the other five every two years. This would make everyone happy.

You can’t scrap the divisions and have a conf championship game unless all teams play each other in the regular season. Not possible with a 14 team conference.

 

[Silver_Coconut]

You can’t scrap the divisions and have a conf championship game unless all teams play each other in the regular season. Not possible with a 14 team conference.

4 team playoff?