(09-19-2021 04:16 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(09-19-2021 03:49 PM)Crayton Wrote:  I think even if division rules were relaxed, the SEC would prefer divisions for competitive reasons. There is not much extra that divisionless can give you... except allowing Alabama-Auburn to play two weeks in a row. If I were doing divisions I'd prioritize making all 4 of even strength. Here are teams ranked by conference record over the last decade:

A: Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia
B: Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas
C: South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky, Ole Miss
D: Miss St, Arkansas, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

[...]

I don't like anything where the divisions are set up "according to strength" unless that makeup of each group changes. You looked at the records over the last decade, but what about 2000-2009, 1990-1999, etc. What's accurate for today isn't necessary accurate for tomorrow. Alabama isn't always going to be at the top. Florida was a sleeping giant until the 1990's. Tennessee was once a national powerhouse but is now in your last group. For that reason, I think the pods would have to be based off geography.

Good points. You are correct that geography/rivals should be primary (don't want to end up with Legends and Leaders). Although, as we see in this thread, there are a number of arrangements that all loosely fit that. The "according to strength" should be more of a checksum, so we pick the "fairest" geography/rivals arrangement. Already you saw me waffling on the placement of UV/UK.

EDIT:
For fun, I did 4-teams based off of 2000-2009, again Vandy/Kentucky are somewhat interchangeable:
North: Oklahoma(Tex)-Tennessee(Ala)-Missouri(Ark)-Vanderbilt(UK)
South: Auburn(UGA)-Alabama(Ten)-Ole Miss(USC)-Miss St(A&M)
East: Georgia(Aub)-Florida(LSU)-South Carolina(Miss)-Kentucky(VU)
West: Texas(OU)-LSU(UF)-Arkansas(MU)-Texas A&M(MSU)
you could put all 4 newcomers into the same division, but the other 3 divisions would be geographically insensible.

(09-19-2021 04:33 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  SEC is going to 9. Their 10 game 2020 experience showed how much more valuable SEC games were than OOC as fan experience and draws. The Florida-Alabama game was a show case of that value. The pretty much have to with Texas and Oklahoma joining. They could even go to 10 games.

The Alliance is in reaction, the recognition that games like Penn State vs Auburn will become fewer, while games like Oregon vs Ohio State will become more common, with the dates spread over the calendar year more, not just in September.

The SEC is not super interested in schedule balance, but in getting the key match ups in and a quality CCG. The whole pod concept is based on the concepts of fairness and minimal travel. Schedule balance may matter to pro sports, and travel concerns to small budget FCS and G5 programs, but this is the SEC, this is big time and it just doesn't matter. Maybe you care for women's Volleyball and Soccer, but otherwise it's balderdash. In basketball you play 20 games, 1 against everyone for 15 and 5 others as the TV networks demand, not geography or "balance and fairness."

Pods are for suckers.

I don't see 10 happening because of out of conference rivalries. I think 9 will be the compromise and probably only after a few years of UT/OU joining.