There has been talk on the internet and among the TV networks about realigning to 4 16 team power conferences that would consist of traditional & new power programs that would allow the champ of each to go directly to the playoffs. Northeast with the exception on Penn State would be left out and 9 of the SEC Team would align with the better ACC teams to form a conference. TA&M would probably end up with powers from the Southwest. Networks love it because it gives them great matchups each week with the biggest and most traditional stadiums in the country.
SEC Realignment
- Thread starter BlueRattie_rivals
- Start date
Blaze a trail, SEC: screw the divisions, everybody plays 12 conference games, top 2 play in the championship, winner WILL go to the playoff even with multiple losses. IMO.
Of course that is an impossible pipe-dream because the universities won't give up the extra 1 or 2 home games v. Scrub U.
Of course that is an impossible pipe-dream because the universities won't give up the extra 1 or 2 home games v. Scrub U.
Is the OP just really stupid or are UK fans so battered that they will do anything to punish themselves and continue losing?
A weak East is the only thing giving this program a chance at rising in the next few years.
UK would get hammered in that re-alignment.
Possibly the dumbest post I've ever seen from a UK fan's perspective.
A weak East is the only thing giving this program a chance at rising in the next few years.
UK would get hammered in that re-alignment.
Possibly the dumbest post I've ever seen from a UK fan's perspective.
We can laugh about it, but there actually is an argument for it, albeit one no one in the proposed Mosh Pit Division wants to hear. Setting the divisions up like this for about 12 years would probably yield an even more cannibalistic conference. The greater opportunity to reach Atlanta would allow some members of the Bed of Roses Division to elevate their programs surely and quickly. Of course, the fierce divisional competition might leave some of the members of the stronger division reeling.
Agree with one thing op, the dividing line is diagonal. So call it Southwest and Northeast divisions.
Not sure about all that, but Phil Steele, who knows about everything in college football says we will have 4 P5 conferences of 16 teams each within the next 3 years. B12 is odd man out.
I actually like 90% of this,but rather have just about anyone other than Kansas as the 2nd new member. If we are looking at adding teams, add them that will add something to more than one sport. Kansas has good BB, but an awful FB and baseball program. Texas or Baylor from Texas, WVU would all be better contributors to the conference, Ship Vandy to the west if WVU comes it, very little difference in how far west Vandy and Bama actually are.
I started this thread on a whim right before I left work. I come back from some chores and boom! there's a blue-billion responses.
Slow night, I guess. LOL
Slow night, I guess. LOL
I was going to say the same thing. Good luck getting Georgia, South Carolina or Tennessee calling themselves "The North".
Alabama's dominance has slowly sucked the life out of the SEC. I don't remember so many mediocre to bad SEC teams over the past several years. It's similar to UK's effect on the conference in basketball.
WVU and Va Tech would be cool, though obviously an ACC and disintegrating B12 team. Those two teams would be incredible for the conference in terms of market expansion. I'm just not sure how I feel about it happening soon while we are trying to build a deep mine in Ohio.
You might be on to something with this statement. UF was running roughshod over everyone in the 90's, but teams caught up with SOS and UF. But the difference in what Bama is doing now and what UF did was UF was scheme wise, he put fast guys at WR andt threw the ball and the fast guys got to it. Lots of fast guys around to defend that and colleges adapted and started signing DBs who could run and cover instead of tackle. Bama is doing it with dominant OLs and DLs, they control the LOS on both sides of the ball with big, strong quick guys. The issue is there are very few of those type around an Bama is signing 3 times the number of them everyone else is. It isn't about scheme, its lining up and knocking you off the LOS, They very likely have `15+ guys on their O and D lines who will get to the NFL, no one else is close to that. Own the LOS, win the game.
I don't sense that the OP's pitch is designed around wanting to discuss the relative strength of UKs schedule. The OP is simply pointing out that we have a geographic imbalance in the conference's 2 divisions.
Just as some are noting that the East used to dominate (remember when Alabama pretty much stunk?), the balance of power will likely continue to shift, regardless of what division teams compete in.
But yes, this particular realignment makes our life more difficult as we would lose Vandy, unless we kept them as our "rival", which may be the best scenario if that alignment were to occur.
Just as some are noting that the East used to dominate (remember when Alabama pretty much stunk?), the balance of power will likely continue to shift, regardless of what division teams compete in.
But yes, this particular realignment makes our life more difficult as we would lose Vandy, unless we kept them as our "rival", which may be the best scenario if that alignment were to occur.
I saw one of those writers saying that they would form four 16-team conferences with lesser successful teams left out and U.K. would be one of those left out.
That won't happen anytime in the next 20 years. The ACC's grant of rights runs until 2035-36.
At some point the SEC will move to a 9 conference game schedule. When that happens I could easily see a realignment where Auburn and Missouri swap, and then the 9th game becomes a 2nd permanent rival. This would allow the either preserve or re-new most, if not all, of its historic rivalries. I think anything bigger than this is going to be met with serious opposition. Does anyone think that Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, etc. are going to be OK with moving Bama to the East?
Doesn't that keep teams from leaving the conference, not joining? I have heard the 4 super conference talk too. 16 teams per conference, now the 4 remaining P5 schools are 54 teams, 10 Big12 teams which would make the 64. But ND won't be left out, BYU has enough supporters to have their own tv network, so its likely 2 teams will get left out of the 64 teams. I like the idea, I would like it even better if everyone played 9 conference games and 1 against each of the other 3 conferences on a rotating schedule.
Terrible idea. You've just created two divisions that are more imbalanced than the current divisions are.
Why would any UK fan want to change the status quo?
Also, people have short memories. There was a time in the 1990s when UF and UT dominated the SEC and everyone wondered when the poor west would catch up.
There won't be re-alignment until the SEC adds 2 teams and gets to 16 teams. It will happen then.
Yes it does keep teams from leaving, which I responded when the poster said he felt the SEC would grab two ACC teams. Now the schools of a conference can vote to end the grant of rights I believe.
If Vandy and Miss state were our rivals, then we would probably go 2-6 or 3-5 against that schedule this year.
In 1998, we would have probably gone 3-5 or 4-4 against that schedule.
In 2007, we would have likely gone 3-5 or 4-4 against that schedule.
Auburn goes up and down. South Carolina is down, and its questionable what any coach not named Spurrier will accomplish there.
We always lose to UT and Florida, and would add Bama to that list for at least the near term.
We have competed with UGA better than UT and Florida.
This schedule is most likely tougher over-all, on a long-term basis, but the biggest issue would be having Bama on the schedule every year, along with 2 other teams (UT & Florida) that we always lose to.
This. I know the OP is talking about now but I suspect if the SEC goes 16 it does so with two new west teams (OKLA/Texas) and Auburn and Alabama come to the east. Then they do something with Missouri by putting them in the West and maybe split Mississippi.
This scenario is not that far from what the OP is suggesting pre-expansion so I wouldn't be surprised if the SEC did this the year before an expansion as a way to entice OKLA/Texas to enter. They would come anyway but definitely would rather come with Alabama in the east.
Add NC State and Va Tech and make it 4 sub divisions and 2 divisions
Northeast
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vandy
VaTech
Southeast
NC State
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
--------------------------
South West
LSU
Texas AM
Arkansas
Mizzou
Deep South
Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss State
For example, we would play all 7 teams in the East and 1 team from each of the two west divisions for a total of 9 conference games. Add 1 more week to the season and make it a 13 game regular season. More games= more money
Northeast
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vandy
VaTech
Southeast
NC State
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
--------------------------
South West
LSU
Texas AM
Arkansas
Mizzou
Deep South
Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss State
For example, we would play all 7 teams in the East and 1 team from each of the two west divisions for a total of 9 conference games. Add 1 more week to the season and make it a 13 game regular season. More games= more money
This would become a kind of jaw-dropping "Great South Conference":
East
1. Florida
2. Georgia
3. Alabama
4. Tennessee
5. Vanderbilt
6. South Carolina
7. Auburn
8. Miss St.
West
1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Oklahoma St.
4. LSU
5. Arkansas
6. Missouri
7. Texas A&M
8. Ole Miss
Ok I have to ask what conference did you send UK to since they are not listed above ?
So everytime one of the 2 divisions are stronger than the otjer we should realign?. Its like the weather, it goes in cycles. I do agree about the location. The biggest benefit would be reduced cost in travel. Although geographic location doesnt matter these days when talking about conference realignment.