New SEC divisions and pods thread (Page 30 starts recent discussion)

[Neonmoon 38130]

If we’re going divisions, it means we rarely play the East teams. You’re basically in a 8 team conference. Not a fan, but whatever. It will be fun to play Aggy, Arkansas, OU, Ole Miss, MSU, LSU, Bama, Auburn every year 

just realizes that one team would have to move. Guess Bama or Auburn 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Neonmoon

[utee94 15835]

27 minutes ago, Zeus said:

Yep, schedule at least one other big Power 4 like Notre Dame or USC every year.

Should've seen this coming anyway the way Texas was scheduling Florida, Bammer, and piggy.

Yup, Georgia is on Texas' future OOC schedule as well. 

But the pig game is actually a leftover from more than a decade ago.  It's the return game for a home and home we started in 2008, but Arkansas pushed it out for several years for various reasons.

11 minutes ago, hookem48 said:

I think the whole pod thing is retarded and ain't happening, 2 divisions 9 games

It certainly makes the post-season SEC championship determination cleaner.

Edited July 25, 2021 by utee94

[utee94 15835]

1 minute ago, Neonmoon said:

If we’re going divisions, it means we rarely play the East teams. You’re basically in a 8 team conference. Not a fan, but whatever. It will be fun to play Aggy, Arkansas, OU, Ole Miss, MSU, LSU, Bama, Auburn every year 

just realizes that one team would have to move. Guess Bama or Auburn 

Most likely Alabama and Auburn would both move, so they can maintain their longstanding in-state rivalry.  Mizzou could shift to the west.  In such a division structure, Texas would rarely play Alabama, Georgia, or Florida, which is too bad because that's part of the fun of joining the SEC.

 

[Not a Sock 2313]

4 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

If we’re going divisions, it means we rarely play the East teams. You’re basically in a 8 team conference. Not a fan, but whatever. It will be fun to play Aggy, Arkansas, OU, Ole Miss, MSU, LSU, Bama, Auburn every year 

just realizes that one team would have to move. Guess Bama or Auburn 

You would kick Bama and Auburn over to the East and pull Mizzou west. That way everyone holds on to their primary rivals and can still have a secondary cross divisional rivals.

[Hagbard Celine 10898]

have not been in here at all yet

ctj just posted in the main thread that he's hearing 8-team divisions, bama/dawgs want to drop the fcs cupcake, 9-game conf schedule

aggy wailed about being in same division wanted that shot down

they failed

[Drew 2500]

Wait Bama wants to drop the cupcake? I mean I’m not surprised they’re man enough…but part of the myth of SEC dominance, especially late in the year, is beating up on an FCS team in late October.

[Drew 2500]

You would kick Bama and Auburn over to the East and pull Mizzou west. That way everyone holds on to their primary rivals and can still have a secondary cross divisional rivals.

This is the most obvious answer if they don’t go pods. Have a 9 game co fence schedule. Play 2 teams from other division home and home. Takes 12 years but you’ll see every team in the conference at least twice in that time.

[Tex-19 2872]

31 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

If we’re going divisions, it means we rarely play the East teams. You’re basically in a 8 team conference. Not a fan, but whatever. It will be fun to play Aggy, Arkansas, OU, Ole Miss, MSU, LSU, Bama, Auburn every year 

just realizes that one team would have to move. Guess Bama or Auburn 

I think Bama and Auburn both would move East, then add Mizzou to West.

Agree that it sucks to rarely play the other half. 

I guess one challenge with "pods" is crowning a conference champ. You'd need a 4-team conference playoff before the main playoffs. A lot of games.

[TXSooner518 2438]

I think Bama and Auburn both would move East, then add Mizzou to West.
Agree that it sucks to rarely play the other half. 
I guess one challenge with "pods" is crowning a conference champ. You'd need a 4-team conference playoff before the main playoffs. A lot of games.

No you don’t. Top two records play. People are making this waaaaayyy harder than they need to. Only 1/3 of your conference schedule is your pod. People are acting like you just play a pod triple round robin.

Hosting and visiting teams like Florida, Georgia, and Bama once a decade is traaaaaassshhh.

If you are the first team out of the conf title game either you will make the playoffs anyway or you got lucky with the schedule and aren’t a top 6 at large. It resolves itself. I think people are just not envisioning the effects of the expanded playoff.

[maninblack 7974]

2 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

If you are playing 6 other games outside of your pod and assuming there's no automatic benefit (i.e., a playoff game appearance) to winning your pod, is it really that big of an advantage to be in a weaker pod?

Not really. 

[maninblack 7974]

59 minutes ago, hookem48 said:

I think the whole pod thing is retarded and ain't happening, 2 divisions 9 games

In 2021 with everything we know about our experience in the B12 and watching the SEC's struggles the two division idea is retarded. 

You have to be devoid of intelligence, imagination and the ability to have fun if you have the ability to play every school in the conference home and away every 4 years and don't take it.

[BurntOrangeBlooded15 1566]

5 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

In the division structure, we could play one of Bama, Georgia and Florida in 6 years out of the 8 year cycle, and both Tennessee and Auburn in the other 2 years.  With 9 conference games, the two East division teams on the schedule could be paired up as follows:

2 years of Bama and Vanderbilt

2 years of Georgia and South Carolina

2 years of Florida and Kentucky

2 years of Auburn and Tennessee 

Repeat cycle

The West division can be similarly paired up with one power program and one easier opponent.  It sorts out really well where everybody would have at least one exciting cross division game, but nobody would get hammered by having to play Bama and Georgia (or Texas and OU) while someone else draws Vandy and Kentucky or both Mississippi schools as their cross division opponents.

So hypothetically plugging that into this years schedule would be something like:

1 - vs Louisiana

2 - @ _________

3 - vs Rice

4 - vs Arkansas

5  - @ Ole Miss

6 - OU in Dallas 

7 - vs Missouri 

8 - BYE

9 - @ Vandy

10 - @ Bama

11 - vs Miss St

12 - @ LSU

13 - Vs Aggy

 

[utee94 15835]

15 minutes ago, maninblack said:

In 2021 with everything we know about our experience in the B12 and watching the SEC's struggles the two division idea is retarded. 

You have to be devoid of intelligence, imagination and the ability to have fun if you have the ability to play every school in the conference home and away every 4 years and don't take it.

Nah, you just have to be making an attempt to preserve longstanding rivalries as annual games, that are outside of the pods.  

I don't know how much the traditional SEC schools care about some of the rivalries that would inevitably be lost as annual games in pod play.  LSU-Alabama is the obvious one that goes away with many of the proposed pods.  Auburn-Georgia is another one, I think they call that one the Deep South's oldest rivalry.

Regardless, as the newcomer it's not our place to tell them whether or not they should abandon some of those longstanding traditional rivalries.  

 

[alphahorn 1637]

aggie is pissed off enough that Texas is getting in, they will be super pissed if they go pods and their pod makes them play OU and Texas every year.  If we go pods, I think aggie gets lsu and the mississippis

[Dnaguy 12019]

15 minutes ago, BurntOrangeBlooded15 said:

So hypothetically plugging that into this years schedule would be something like:

1 - vs Louisiana

2 - @ _________

3 - vs Rice

4 - vs Arkansas

5  - @ Ole Miss

6 - OU in Dallas 

7 - vs Missouri 

8 - BYE

9 - @ Vandy

10 - @ Bama

11 - vs Miss St

12 - @ LSU

13 - Vs Aggy

 

[alphahorn 1637]

There is so much still to be determined from a cash perspective.  Will the SEC share Texas' and ou's $76 million buy out of the TV deal?  Will Texas just walk away from the back loaded LHN deal and leave another $100mm on the table.  There are some real $s here that need to be worked out.

[mdmost 43011]

15 minutes ago, alphahorn said:

There is so much still to be determined from a cash perspective.  Will the SEC share Texas' and ou's $76 million buy out of the TV deal?  Will Texas just walk away from the back loaded LHN deal and leave another $100mm on the table.  There are some real $s here that need to be worked out.

Yes. We aren't keeping the LHN. ESPN will fold it into the SEC Network, cut their production costs and salaries, and probably take the money and put it towards our buyout of the Big 12 and us the rest to keep us solvent while we deal with the GOR if the Big 12 remains. 

[Nicole44 22072]

22 minutes ago, alphahorn said:

aggie is pissed off enough that Texas is getting in, they will be super pissed if they go pods and their pod makes them play OU and Texas every year.  If we go pods, I think aggie gets lsu and the mississippis

But they just said (lmao):

"Regardless of who joins the SEC, whether it's now [or] in the future, 'the 12th Man' is ready," Bjork told Dave Wilson of ESPN. "Our teams are ready. Our coaches are ready. Our athletic department is ready to compete at the highest level. That's what the SEC is, that's what we are as a university, and we're ready for whatever comes next."

[Sir Ulrich 5188]

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

Pod 1: UT OU Arky Aggy

Pod 2: LSU Ole Miss Miss St Mizzou 

Pod 3:  Bama Auburn Tenn Vandy

Pod 4: UGA Florida SC Kentucky

Rough draft of scheduling rules inspired by the NFL scheduling procedures:

9 conference games. 

3 intra pod games

4 games vs another pod rotating yearly 

1 game vs a set rival (if not met in above requirements) LSU vs Florida Auburn Georgia etc get to keep their rivalries. 

1 game vs a team with same finish in another pod. This allows for Colts vs Pat's type rivalries depending on who's a perennial contender 

Imo pods are on the table because the SEC could add semifinals games in Dallas and Nola. The revenue from those would be enticing enough to try pods. 

[Horn of Gabriel 1650]

10 minutes ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

 

Imo pods are on the table because the SEC could add semifinals games in Dallas and Nola. The revenue from those would be enticing enough to try pods. 

Wait, wut?  We're going to have a SEC-only playoff before the CFP playoff?  That seems...unwise and unlikely.  Top 2 seeds go to SEC CCG.  Fewer losses in the SEC top tier = more CFP eligible entrants.  Why would SEC shoot itself in the foot by adding losses to the top 4 teams w/ semifinals?  The SEC champ will not need "additional data points" to get into the CFP, all that does it hurt SEC's #2-4 chances.  Money isn't it either, as the money made from extra CFP participants would dwarf the money made from add'l SEC-only games.

[clapclapclap 9000]

1 hour ago, maninblack said:

In 2021 with everything we know about our experience in the B12 and watching the SEC's struggles the two division idea is retarded. 

You have to be devoid of intelligence, imagination and the ability to have fun if you have the ability to play every school in the conference home and away every 4 years and don't take it.

This, unless it is a temp 1 or 2 season bridge while some NCAA restriction gets removed or the SEC ditches the NCAA.

[clapclapclap 9000]

Also, stop shout blinding us, Ulrich.

Use quote or Italians instead.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4788]

1 hour ago, maninblack said:

In 2021 with everything we know about our experience in the B12 and watching the SEC's struggles the two division idea is retarded. 

You have to be devoid of intelligence, imagination and the ability to have fun if you have the ability to play every school in the conference home and away every 4 years and don't take it.

This is where I am coming around to. My initial thought was to do simple east vs. west, and even with that it would be so much better playing LSU, Ark, OU, A&M and the Miss schools every year compared to what we have now.

But it would be much, much better to have OU, A&M and Ark every year plus a regular rotation of LSU, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee.

[Js1 85450]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

Wait Bama wants to drop the cupcake? I mean I’m not surprised they’re man enough…but part of the myth of SEC dominance, especially late in the year, is beating up on an FCS team in late October.

Why would Bama care? They are at the point they can win by 2-3 scores against any G5 or low-tier P5.  The other SEC schools like it to pad their wins for bowl eligibility 

[mdmost 43011]

21 minutes ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

This is where I am coming around to. My initial thought was to do simple east vs. west, and even with that it would be so much better playing LSU, Ark, OU, A&M and the Miss schools every year compared to what we have now.

But it would be much, much better to have OU, A&M and Ark every year plus a regular rotation of LSU, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee.

Divisions makes sense when you have a simple majority of games against your division and a decent amount of games against the other division. It's why the Big 12 was great when we started playing in it. I loved the Nebraska + Kansas State years because it meant great games were coming to DKR. It gets unwieldy when there's more than 12 teams. It seems silly to have only 1-2 rotating opponents every 2 years. Yes, the SEC is getting money for adding us and OU but isn't the charm getting matchups like Texas/OU and Alabama/Florida/Georgia/Auburn/Tennessee with regularity? Pods would accomplish that better. The only issue to me is how to determine the 2 teams to meet up in Atlanta. The semi-finals is a cool idea but I don't enjoy rematches. It's exactly why I hate the Big 12 CCG. If we beat OU, we're going to play them again. Same with ISU playing OU. That regular game means a lot less. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by mdmost

[Js1 85450]

Straight winning percentage? Tie breaker for 1/2 seed would be H2H, then your pod’s overall winning %?

[Sir Ulrich 5188]

12 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Divisions makes sense when you have a simple majority of games against your division and a decent amount of games against the other division. It's why the Big 12 was great when we started playing in it. I loved the Nebraska + Kansas State years because it meant great games were coming to DKR. It gets unwieldy when there's more than 12 teams. It seems silly to have only 1/2 rotating opponents every 2 years. Yes, the SEC is getting money for adding us and OU but isn't the charm getting matchups like Texas/OU and Alabama/Florida/Georgia/Auburn/Tennessee with regularity? Pods would accomplish that better. The only issue to me is how to determine the 2 teams to meet up in Atlanta. The semi-finals is a cool idea but I don't enjoy rematches. It's exactly why I hate the Big 12 CCG. If we beat OU, we're going to play them again. Same with ISU playing OU. That regular game means a lot less. 

To decrease the odds of a rematch youd have the pods that didn't play each other match up. The chances of a rematch would be lower especially if you had nfl style scheduling where you matched up based on previous year pod finishes. 

[mdmost 43011]

Interesting note in the realignment thread. Rumors of the SEC sticking with divisions and OU going east but with a dedicated cross-divisional game (like Bama/Tennessee) with Texas. I mean that's actually not a terrible idea if we're stuck with divisions. Bama and Auburn stay in the West. Still hate only having one extra rotating game because then we're not getting the benefit of playing Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc. 

[aggie08 21510]

13 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Interesting note in the realignment thread. Rumors of the SEC sticking with divisions and OU going east but with a dedicated cross-divisional game (like Bama/Tennessee) with Texas. I mean that's actually not a terrible idea if we're stuck with divisions. Bama and Auburn stay in the West. Still hate only having one extra rotating game because then we're not getting the benefit of playing Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc. 

No one gives a shit about my opinion--and this won't affect my school anytime soon--but I like the idea of the conference championship rarely being a rematch of an earlier game. 8-team divisions would accomplish that.

[maninblack 7974]

1 hour ago, Sir Ulrich said:

Cross posting from the realignment thread:

Pod 1: UT OU Arky Aggy

Pod 2: LSU Ole Miss Miss St Mizzou 

Pod 3:  Bama Auburn Tenn Vandy

Pod 4: UGA Florida SC Kentucky

Rough draft of scheduling rules inspired by the NFL scheduling procedures:

9 conference games. 

3 intra pod games

4 games vs another pod rotating yearly 

1 game vs a set rival (if not met in above requirements) LSU vs Florida Auburn Georgia etc get to keep their rivalries. 

1 game vs a team with same finish in another pod. This allows for Colts vs Pat's type rivalries depending on who's a perennial contender 

Imo pods are on the table because the SEC could add semifinals games in Dallas and Nola. The revenue from those would be enticing enough to try pods. 

See that's imagination. You don't have to be a  rigid douche and say 2 divisions and barely ever see half the conference

[hookem48 4701]

2 hours ago, maninblack said:

In 2021 with everything we know about our experience in the B12 and watching the SEC's struggles the two division idea is retarded. 

You have to be devoid of intelligence, imagination and the ability to have fun if you have the ability to play every school in the conference home and away every 4 years and don't take it.

you think the SEC is worried about everyone playing each other?

[maninblack 7974]

25 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Interesting note in the realignment thread. Rumors of the SEC sticking with divisions and OU going east but with a dedicated cross-divisional game (like Bama/Tennessee) with Texas. I mean that's actually not a terrible idea if we're stuck with divisions. Bama and Auburn stay in the West. Still hate only having one extra rotating game because then we're not getting the benefit of playing Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc. 

The starting premise of divisions is a terrible idea to me. Entire conferences used to be 8 teams. We'd essentially be two separate conferences that merged and kind of held hands. 

What's sad is that better alternatives are staring everyone in the face and it'd be waaaay more fun for everyone. The three regional rivals provide the familiarity that breeds enough contempt and then you can have new conversations every year. 

[Bruno71 13]

Hey guys. First post here. Full disclosure. I’m an old ag (‘71) who has enjoyed Shaggy/Surly for years. Horns win or lose, this bunch is hilarious and knows Texas football. Even if you rarely agree with each other.

With the current situation I thought I could add to this group by sharing some thoughts I have about our last decade in the SEC.

1. Two divisions suck. We still haven’t played Georgia at Kyle Field. To me,a big part of being in SEC was playing ‘real’ SEC teams on a regular basis. Pods take care of that problem.

2. Rivalry games are greatly over-rated. To keep Alabama happy, everybody got assigned a cross-division ‘Rival’ they played every year so Alabama( more on that later) could destroy poor Tennessee on a yearly basis. One result was A&M and Georgia didn’t play for 8 years. LSU and Florida found out they were Rivals🤣and got to be each other’s every year cross division game. Both of them hate it. Ags got South Carolina which turned out ok for wins but boring for fans.

3. Alabama runs the SEC. Everyone denies it of course. I’m sure you guys will be trying to replace or at least become #2 in short order. A&M might be your best friend when you start getting political. As you know you will.

4. You will never be considered real SEC. Its a very conservative, provincial group  as a whole . UT-Austin is not. A&M looks like Berkeley compared to the old South core of the conference. They will take your money though.

5. One last thought on pods. If we go that way, I doubt the ags, horns and Sooners will be in same pod. Too much power. LSU would have 3 boring opponents as every year opponents. I think the Ags will be with LSU. And nobody( except Texas and ESPN) give a damn about a renewed A&M-Texas rivalry.

 

[Tex-19 2872]

37 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Interesting note in the realignment thread. Rumors of the SEC sticking with divisions and OU going east but with a dedicated cross-divisional game (like Bama/Tennessee) with Texas. I mean that's actually not a terrible idea if we're stuck with divisions. Bama and Auburn stay in the West. Still hate only having one extra rotating game because then we're not getting the benefit of playing Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, etc. 

Screw that, OU should be in our division. We'd also have arguably the toughest recurring schedule in the conference with the whole SEC West plus permanent OU game.

Totally hate having only 1 rotating game. Worst part of the current SEC scheduling.

[Aqua Buddha 14599]

OU would run through the East like covid at Dollywood.

[Nicole44 22072]

6 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

OU would run through the East like covid at Dollywood.

Don’t give them any ideas…shhhh…lol

[Lowcountry Hog 266]

5 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

LSU-Arkansas means jack and shit to both schools. The SEC tried to make it a rivalry when Ark joined SEC but neither team really cares.

Sadly, it means more to UA than LSU…

 

And frankly more than the forced Mizzou v Ark rivalry.  
 

If my swine can’t get the Pod of Hate, I’d prefer: Ark, LSU,  Ole Miss and Miss State

 

Would bet my 401K on Bama, Auburn and Tenner being in a pod together

[Tracer Bullet 190]

Four pods of 4 plus a 10 game conference schedule allows for one permanent cross division rival while playing each team in the conference home and home every four years

 

3 intra pod

1 permanent cross pod

2 games against teams from each 3 other pods, alternating each year, for 6 games.  If this overlaps with your permanent cross pod rival, you simply play another team among the 3 pods, likely according to SoS

Keeps the Georgia / Auburn hardliners happy and allows 2 non-conf games

Edited July 25, 2021 by Tracer Bullet

[Lowcountry Hog 266]

The preference for the Pork Coalition from what I’ve gathered 

1) Ark, Texas, OU and aTm

2) Ark, LSU, Miss State and Ole Miss

3) Ark, Texas, OU and Mizzou (would be my bet)

[maninblack 7974]

11 minutes ago, Bruno71 said:

5. One last thought on pods. If we go that way, I doubt the ags, horns and Sooners will be in same pod. Too much power. LSU would have 3 boring opponents as every year opponents. I think the Ags will be with LSU. And nobody( except Texas and ESPN) give a damn about a renewed A&M-Texas rivalry.

Good post but while I don't doubt this might happen Thanksgiving is November 25th this year. Guess which SEC game is on? The Egg Bowl. It's fine but a handful of people from the state of Texas or around the country are tuning into that. If you return the Texas vs A&M to that time slot now you have a meaningful game to that largest state market in the country and b/c of the relevance most years of those teams it'd mean something nationally so you get even more eyeballs. And if ESPN gives a damn about it then the SEC will give a dame about it.

You can ensure that scenario if they're in the same pod but you can also ensure with a proposal like what @Sir Ulrich posted. You can also ensure it with divisions but as has been pointed out divisions are a ghey antiquated way of thinking.

[maninblack 7974]

6 minutes ago, Tracer Bullet said:

Four pods of 4 plus a 10 game conference schedule allows for one permanent cross division rival while playing each team in the conference home and home every four years

I don't hate the 10 game idea but there's NOOOOO way in hell you're selling schools that have been feasting on sisters of the poor non-conference teams and not being penalized for it for years on two more conference games that would hurt their perception.

[Tracer Bullet 190]

3 minutes ago, maninblack said:

I don't hate the 10 game idea but there's NOOOOO way in hell you're selling schools that have been feasting on sisters of the poor non-conference teams and not being penalized for it for years on two more conference games that would hurt their perception.

The only way would be ESPN paying more $

Bama / Citadel won't give the ratings an annual Bama / UT or Bama / OU matchup will bring.  Multiply that across the conference and the knowledge that this new SEC is pretty much guaranteed at least 1/3 of the playoff slots each year and that should assuage some concerns.  
 

Seeing Florida, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, etc playing UT and OU (and each other inter-pod) every other year has to get the moneymen to perk up

[maninblack 7974]

7 minutes ago, Tracer Bullet said:

The only way would be ESPN paying more $

Bama / Citadel won't give the ratings an annual Bama / UT or Bama / OU matchup will bring.  Multiply that across the conference and the knowledge that this new SEC is pretty much guaranteed at least 1/3 of the playoff slots each year and that should assuage some concerns.  
 

Seeing Florida, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, etc playing UT and OU (and each other inter-pod) every other year has to get the moneymen to perk up

If the extra loss wouldn't hurt like it does today and the money was right I think some would think about it but I bet some are still going to be a bitch about adding one more game.

[Tracer Bullet 190]

6 minutes ago, sportsbay said:

If there are 4 16 team power conferences with the pod format with inra-conference playoff then the need for a 12 team playoff would be overkill.  Four team playoff.

Yep.  If every conference pod champ plays each other you'd effectively have a 16 team playoff to start with.  The issue would be good teams screwed out of being #1 in pod due to tiebreak or something.  Solution to that would be for a wildcard for each 2-pod division

24 teams in "playoff" with top 8 teams getting a bye.  Then you go to 16/8/4/2
 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Tracer Bullet

[Huckleberry 33045]

Reading this thread for the first time. I just assumed the pods idea was based on pairing up with another pod to form a football division for two years. Then you pair up with a different pod for the next two years. If you do that then even with only 7 conference games and no reserved permanent rivalry games you'd still play everyone home and away at least every 6 years. And obviously the teams in your pod every 2 years.

You could have 9 conference games with a reserved rivalry game from each other pod. Something like this (just using the SEC Network's pod idea to be fast):

Pod A interpod rivals: Florida (B - Tennessee, C - LSU, D - Missouri); Georgia (B - Auburn, C - Mississippi St., D - Texas); Kentucky (B - Alabama, C - Ole Miss, D - Arkansas); South Carolina (B - Vanderbilt, C - Texas A&M, D - Oklahoma)

Pod B interpod rivals: Alabama (A - Kentucky, C - LSU, D - Arkansas); Auburn (A - Georgia, C - Texas A&M, D - Missouri); Tennessee (A - Florida, C - Ole Miss, D - Oklahoma); Vanderbilt (A - South Carolina, C - Mississippi St., D - Texas)

Pod C interpod rivals: LSU (A - Florida, B - Alabama, D - Arkansas); Mississippi St. (A - Georgia, B - Vanderbilt, D - Missouri); Ole Miss (A - Kentucky, B - Tennessee, D - Oklahoma); Texas A&M (A - South Carolina, B - Auburn, D - Texas)

Pod D interpod rivals: Arkansas (A - Kentucky, B - Alabama, C - LSU); Missouri (A - Florida, B - Auburn, C - Mississippi St.); Oklahoma (A - South Carolina, B - Tennessee, C - Ole Miss); Texas (A - Georgia, B - Vanderbilt, C - Texas A&M)

So then you have a 9 game conference schedule built in every year. 3 games against your pod. 2 games against the interpod rivals who aren't in your division that year. 4 games against the pod that's in your division that year.

Sample 2022 conference schedules. Pods A/B are Division 1. Pods C/D are Division 2. Pod games are in italics. Interpod rival games are in bold.

Texas - Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, LSU, Mississippi St. Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Vanderbilt
Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas
Florida - Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU, Missouri
Ole Miss - LSU, Mississippi St., Texas A&M, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee

And so on. Then after two years the pod pairings switch.

Edited July 25, 2021 by Huckleberry

[Tracer Bullet 190]

Just now, Huckleberry said:

Reading this thread for the first time. I just assumed the pods idea was based on pairing up with another pod to form a football division for two years. Then you pair up with a different pod for the next two years. If you do that then even with only 7 conference games and no reserved permanent rivalry games you'd still play everyone home and away at least every 6 years. And obviously the teams in your pod every 2 years.

You could have 9 conference games with a reserved rivalry game from each other pod. Something like this (just using the SEC Network's pod idea to be fast):

Pod A interpod rivals: Florida (B - Tennessee, C - LSU, D - Missouri); Georgia (B - Auburn, C - Mississippi St., D - Texas); Kentucky (B - Alabama, C - Ole Miss, D - Arkansas); South Carolina (B - Vanderbilt, C - Texas A&M, D - Oklahoma)

Pod B interpod rivals: Alabama (A - Kentucky, C - LSU, D - Arkansas); Auburn (A - Georgia, C - Texas A&M, D - Missouri); Tennessee (A - Florida, C - Ole Miss, D - Oklahoma); Vanderbilt (A - South Carolina, C - Mississippi St., D - Texas)

Pod C interpod rivals: LSU (A - Florida, B - Alabama, D - Arkansas); Mississippi St. (A - Georgia, B - Vanderbilt, D - Missouri); Ole Miss (A - Kentucky, B - Tennessee, D - Oklahoma); Texas A&M (A - South Carolina, B - Auburn, D - Texas)

Pod D interpod rivals: Arkansas (A - Kentucky, B - Alabama, C - LSU); Missouri (A - Florida, B - Auburn, C - Mississippi St.); Oklahoma (A - South Carolina, B - Tennessee, C - Ole Miss); Texas (A - Georgia, B - Vanderbilt, C - Texas A&M)

So then you have a 9 game conference schedule built in every year. 3 games against your pod. 2 games against the interpod rivals who aren't in your division that year. 4 games against the pod that's in your division that year.

Sample 2022 conference schedules. Pods A/B are Division 1. Pods C/D are Division 2. Pod games are in italics. Interpod rival games are in bold.

Texas - Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, LSU, Mississippi St. Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Vanderbilt
Alabama - Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas
Florida - Georiga, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, LSU, Missouri
Ole Miss - LSU, Missippi St., Texas A&M, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee

And so on. Then after two years the pod pairings switch.

Play 2 teams per pod and you'd play each team in your conference home and away every 4 years.  Which is how it should be imo

[Huckleberry 33045]

Right but without divisions the conference championship game will be shitty. Top 2 by record with wildly divergent schedules? At least if you form a division from two pods then every team in a "division" has 7 of 9 games the exact same.

[Tracer Bullet 190]

2 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Right but without divisions the conference championship game will be shitty. Top 2 by record with wildly divergent schedules? At least if you form a division from two pods then every team in a "division" has 7 of 9 games the exact same.

You could say the same thing about the 2 per pod setup.  Have 2 pods play the same same 2 teams inter pod 

 

[Had Enough 2083]

If there are 4 16 team power conferences with the pod format with inra-conference playoff then the need for a 12 team playoff would be overkill.  Four team playoff.

In the 4 conference scenario, that would work, but why would the SEC agree to this?

Our #2 is better than your #1 has been their argument to this point.

The SEC is playing to get it their way. Which way is that is the question.

[billfromlaketravis 11520]

I’m Team Pod, but I’d be cool with divisions as long as Mizzou stays in the East.