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billoliver40

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Dec 16, 2015
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This will be internet chatter for a time.
As of this minute, we could be looking at UK, Vandy, Missouri, Tennessee//
Georgia, Florida, South Carolina,Auburn//
Miss State, Ol Miss, Bama, aTm//
Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Arkansas.

While not geographically that sound, some type of bone will have likely be thrown to the Aggies wh were promised 13 years ago they would be THE Texas SEC team. Could among other things switch them and Auburn...keeps the Iron bowl, keeps the Florida Georgia game, keeps the Egg bowl, keeps the Texas Oklahoma game.

UK would play the other 3 teams every year in their pod. PLUS play another 4 team pod EACH YEAR....for a 7 game conference schedule, and a 4 year player meeting each conference team.
This also would allow the 4 game OOC money or get healthy games.

Ah well....likely wont happen. 4 years to ponder though.
 
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I think they go to 9 SEC games. Could mean the end of the UL game
 
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This will be internet chatter for a time.
As of this minute, we could be looking at UK, Vandy, Missouri, Tennessee//
Georgia, Florida, South Carolina,Auburn//
Miss State, Ol Miss, Bama, aTm//
Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Arkansas.

While not geographically that sound, some type of bone will have likely be thrown to the Aggies wh were promised 13 years ago they would be THE Texas SEC team. Could among other things switch them and Auburn...keeps the Iron bowl, keeps the Florida Georgia game, keeps the Egg bowl, keeps the Texas Oklahoma game.

UK would play the other 3 teams every year in their pod. PLUS play another 4 team pod EACH YEAR....for a 7 game conference schedule, and a 4 year player meeting each conference team.
This also would allow the 4 game OOC money or get healthy games.

Ah well....likely wont happen. 4 years to ponder though.
 
This will be internet chatter for a time.
As of this minute, we could be looking at UK, Vandy, Missouri, Tennessee//
Georgia, Florida, South Carolina,Auburn//
Miss State, Ol Miss, Bama, aTm//
Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Arkansas.

While not geographically that sound, some type of bone will have likely be thrown to the Aggies wh were promised 13 years ago they would be THE Texas SEC team. Could among other things switch them and Auburn...keeps the Iron bowl, keeps the Florida Georgia game, keeps the Egg bowl, keeps the Texas Oklahoma game.

UK would play the other 3 teams every year in their pod. PLUS play another 4 team pod EACH YEAR....for a 7 game conference schedule, and a 4 year player meeting each conference team.
This also would allow the 4 game OOC money or get healthy games.

Ah well....likely wont happen. 4 years to ponder though.

The Texas and OU to the SEC is basically a done deal. The division of 2 or 4 is not a done deal. I think the conference will go to 9 games, especially when the playoff expands to 12 teams. No way those divisions posted happens. That OU, Texas, LSU, Arky group, neither will UK, Vandy, Missouri and UT. The other 2 are fairly even but the first and last are not.

The option on the table that is gaining speed is 2 divisions, Bama and AU to the East, Missouri to the west, and 2 crossovers. With all the old rivalry games now in the East, the permanent team won't happen, play 2 rotation crossovers every year and you see all 8 teams in the other division in 4 years.

This is being done for money, I think that is one thing everyone can agree on, more teams in the playoffs the more money for the conference. so look for a 9 game SEC schedule with an OOC P5 school encouraged.
 
With all the old rivalry games now in the East, the permanent team won't happen,
Tell that to LSU and their rivalry games with FL & AL, & MSU with AL, and V with OM. And going back to the 10 teams SEC, UK played LSU every year.
 
At what point do we consider not having conferences any more. They're reaching the point that they don't make sense.
 
Tell that to LSU and their rivalry games with FL & AL, & MSU with AL, and V with OM. And going back to the 10 teams SEC, UK played LSU every year.

UF and LSU wasnt a big rivalry back in the day, they only played regular since divisions were formed and UF isnt happy with playing them every year. Does UK want to play LSU year now?

This will play out ever how Bama wants, they are the conference's golden goose now and the SEC office will take care of them. Saban has gone on record as wanting a 9 game SEC schedule, other conferences are already doing that. SEC wants 3-4 of the 12 playoff spots. Strength of schedule will be a part of the criteria. 9 SEC games and another P5 opponent will be encouraged. That's just an opinion, not a fact, but I think we stick to 2 division with Bama and AU moving to the east. If UF and LSU want to play, schedule it as an OOC game and it wont count in conference standings.
 
,…

The option on the table that is gaining speed is 2 divisions, Bama and AU to the East, Missouri to the west, and 2 crossovers. With all the old rivalry games now in the East, the permanent team won't happen, play 2 rotation crossovers every year and you see all 8 teams in the other division in 4 years.

Lulz…. That East division would be like the ‘80s SEC conference kicked LSU and the two Mississippi schools to the ole Southwest conference and then added USCjr

I can live with that
 
I posted some years ago that a 4 division SEC would be the answer, but assumed it would be additions of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the West or some combo of Virginia or North Carolina teams.

Texas is a shocker, and I’m just getting used to it. I have Aggie friends.
 
The Texas and OU to the SEC is basically a done deal. The division of 2 or 4 is not a done deal. I think the conference will go to 9 games, especially when the playoff expands to 12 teams. No way those divisions posted happens. That OU, Texas, LSU, Arky group, neither will UK, Vandy, Missouri and UT. The other 2 are fairly even but the first and last are not.

The option on the table that is gaining speed is 2 divisions, Bama and AU to the East, Missouri to the west, and 2 crossovers. With all the old rivalry games now in the East, the permanent team won't happen, play 2 rotation crossovers every year and you see all 8 teams in the other division in 4 years.

This is being done for money, I think that is one thing everyone can agree on, more teams in the playoffs the more money for the conference. so look for a 9 game SEC schedule with an OOC P5 school encouraged.

I keep seeing this posted and talked about. How this isn't balanced etc. But the truth is thats short term vision. If you remember about a decade ago, everyone was complaining that the East was too strong and the West was down. These things happen in cycles. Alabama won't win the next 100 years like they have since Saban has been there. At some point Auburn will be dominant again. So will LSU. So will Florida etc. Not to mention theres gonna be those rare seasons where a South Carolina or Mizz or hopefully UK is really good.

To base the next century off whats happened the past few seasons is really silly.
 
Quad I UF, UGA, USC, UK
Quad 2 Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Quad 3 Ole Miss, Miss ST, LSU, Texas A&M
Quad 4 Mizzou, Texas, Oklahoma, Arky

A&M will demand to not be in the same Quad as Texas.
I think this is what till play out
 
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Quad I UF, UGA, USC, UK
Quad 2 Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Quad 3 Ole Miss, Miss ST, LSU, Texas A&M
Quad 4 Mizzou, Texas, Oklahoma, Arky

A&M will demand to not be in the same Quad as Texas.
This looks right to me as well. Relatively balanced and keeps a lot of SEC rivalries together.
 
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I keep seeing this posted and talked about. How this isn't balanced etc. But the truth is thats short term vision. If you remember about a decade ago, everyone was complaining that the East was too strong and the West was down. These things happen in cycles. Alabama won't win the next 100 years like they have since Saban has been there. At some point Auburn will be dominant again. So will LSU. So will Florida etc. Not to mention theres gonna be those rare seasons where a South Carolina or Mizz or hopefully UK is really good.

To base the next century off whats happened the past few seasons is really silly.

No there are no guarantees, not even football will still be played. But you have to use something for a criteria and do you really thing those 4 pods the op listed are remotely even?
 
Quad I UF, UGA, USC, UK
Quad 2 Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Quad 3 Ole Miss, Miss ST, LSU, Texas A&M
Quad 4 Mizzou, Texas, Oklahoma, Arky

A&M will demand to not be in the same Quad as Texas.
That a nice setup of teams there.
 
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Quad I UF, UGA, USC, UK
Quad 2 Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Quad 3 Ole Miss, Miss ST, LSU, Texas A&M
Quad 4 Mizzou, Texas, Oklahoma, Arky

A&M will demand to not be in the same Quad as Texas.
Same arrangement that ESPN and SECN were talking about two days ago. It's almost as if the SEC and ESPN had already been planning on this news to breakout lol
 
I keep seeing this posted and talked about. How this isn't balanced etc. But the truth is thats short term vision. If you remember about a decade ago, everyone was complaining that the East was too strong and the West was down. These things happen in cycles. Alabama won't win the next 100 years like they have since Saban has been there. At some point Auburn will be dominant again. So will LSU. So will Florida etc. Not to mention theres gonna be those rare seasons where a South Carolina or Mizz or hopefully UK is really good.

To base the next century off whats happened the past few seasons is really silly.
I agree. Alabama was a clown show for a large stretch of mid-90s through early 2000's. LSU was too for a long stretch. Missouri won the SECE two of their first three seasons in the SEC. South Carolina had, what, three straight 11 win seasons? Etc etc etc Programs rise and fall all the time.
 
No there are no guarantees, not even football will still be played. But you have to use something for a criteria and do you really thing those 4 pods the op listed are remotely even?

Whose to say whats even 10 years from now? 20 years from now?

Heres the standings from 20 years ago. The East is overloaded. The West is really down. Missouri went 4-7 and TAMU went 8-4.
Eastern Division
No. 4 Tennessee x71112
No. 3 Florida62102
No. 13 South Carolina5393
No. 22 Georgia5384
Kentucky1729
Vanderbilt0829
Western Division
No. 7 LSU xy$53103
Auburn x5375
Ole Miss4474
Alabama4475
Arkansas4475
Mississippi State2638

So as you can see dynasties rise and fall. True you have powers that are more than likely to remain strong like Alabama. But what they are doing now is unheard of and once Saban leaves, they will drop some.

But other teams rise and fall. Example - Mizz entered the East at exactly the right time and won 2 back to back East division titles. South Carolina won one. Vandy had a stretch where they were really good. UK had one season were we we're really good.

The only criteria that should be listed is location and theres a few ways to keep them bunched up. But trying to power balance a league that for all intents and purposes should remain together for the next century is a lil ridiculous. Besides it's a moot point when you figure in each team has 9 opponents, meaning your 3 in-division opponents only makes up a 1/3 of your schedule.

Heres a few ideas. To me the most unfair one is the first one I've seen spread about. Which puts UK in a division with South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. That leaves UK with the highest travel among the other 3. Of course they can't be perfect, some teams will have to travel more than others, but theres a finer balance. Mileage wise, I believe the 4th one (in yellow) is the fairest travel wise. Although we all know it ultimately comes down to what Alabama wants.

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E66ZqzfUYAIr8bH

E66Zq0YVcAAcePT

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Each contains at least one team that has won a NC since the BCS.

How “even” can any divide be made with the gorilla in the room (aka Bama?)

This expansion rumor is all about conference revenue and getting more teams in the playoffs. Count on A&M, Bama, OU, and probably LSU being in different pods, then whoever the next 4 are will fall into 4 different pods. I dont think the conference will vote for a pod of Vandy, Missouri, vols and UK.

I am not in favor of 4 pods, but if it goes that route I think you have to rank the teams ones through fours.

1's. Bama, OU, LSU, A&M
2's. UF, UGA UK, Texas
3's. AU, UCF north, OM, Missouri
4's. Arky, MSST, Vandy, Carolina.

Every pod gets 1 team from each of those 4 levels. I think that is the fairest way to get 4 somewhat even pods, those levels can be tweaked. But scheduling will be a mess. I cant see a single advantage this has over 2 divisions if we do away with the permanent crossover game.
 
This expansion rumor is all about conference revenue and getting more teams in the playoffs. Count on A&M, Bama, OU, and probably LSU being in different pods, then whoever the next 4 are will fall into 4 different pods. I dont think the conference will vote for a pod of Vandy, Missouri, vols and UK.

I am not in favor of 4 pods, but if it goes that route I think you have to rank the teams ones through fours.

1's. Bama, OU, LSU, A&M
2's. UF, UGA UK, Texas
3's. AU, UCF north, OM, Missouri
4's. Arky, MSST, Vandy, Carolina.

Every pod gets 1 team from each of those 4 levels. I think that is the fairest way to get 4 somewhat even pods, those levels can be tweaked. But scheduling will be a mess. I cant see a single advantage this has over 2 divisions if we do away with the permanent crossover game.

Ok then what happens in 10 years when the power is all shifted? Reshuffle the divisions again?
 
Whose to say whats even 10 years from now? 20 years from now?

Heres the standings from 20 years ago. The East is overloaded. The West is really down. Missouri went 4-7 and TAMU went 8-4.
Eastern Division
No. 4 Tennessee x71112
No. 3 Florida62102
No. 13 South Carolina5393
No. 22 Georgia5384
Kentucky1729
Vanderbilt0829
Western Division
No. 7 LSU xy$53103
Auburn x5375
Ole Miss4474
Alabama4475
Arkansas4475
Mississippi State2638

So as you can see dynasties rise and fall. True you have powers that are more than likely to remain strong like Alabama. But what they are doing now is unheard of and once Saban leaves, they will drop some.

But other teams rise and fall. Example - Mizz entered the East at exactly the right time and won 2 back to back East division titles. South Carolina won one. Vandy had a stretch where they were really good. UK had one season were we we're really good.

The only criteria that should be listed is location and theres a few ways to keep them bunched up. But trying to power balance a league that for all intents and purposes should remain together for the next century is a lil ridiculous. Besides it's a moot point when you figure in each team has 9 opponents, meaning your 3 in-division opponents only makes up a 1/3 of your schedule.

Heres a few ideas. To me the most unfair one is the first one I've seen spread about. Which puts UK in a division with South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. That leaves UK with the highest travel among the other 3. Of course they can't be perfect, some teams will have to travel more than others, but theres a finer balance. Mileage wise, I believe the 4th one (in yellow) is the fairest travel wise. Although we all know it ultimately comes down to what Alabama wants.

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E66ZqzfUYAIr8bH

E66Zq0YVcAAcePT

E66ZwXkVUAsTWmR

No one is going to stay on top forever, but you cant make pods on speculation of what might happen.

But looking at your illustration, keep the 2 divisions we have, put Misdour in the west, AU and Bama to the east, keep 2 crossover games, but do away with permanent crossover. That keeps 2 divisions relatively equal, gets us to 9 conference games and you face every SEC team if you stay 4 years.

I cant predict who will be good in 10 years, no one can.

But I am not dead set against 4 pods, what do you see as the advantages of 4 pods?
 
Ok then what happens in 10 years when the power is all shifted? Reshuffle the divisions again?

Is it going to reshuffle in 10 years? It may but you csnt load up 1 pod and have one obviously weaker at this point. And while UK is a good program today, you cant say Vandy, UT or Missouri are at this point. I don't believe the conference will vote for that, I dont think they will go for 4 pods either, but I am guessing.
 
Don't think it makes sense to have two 8 team divisions. You might as well have to entirely separate leagues. I do like the pods and it's definitely fun to speculate on how that might play out although the negative side of me thinks UK will get screwed one way another (UK, BAMA, OKLA, AUB......). I've messed with the pods several different ways but here is how I would break it out.

TEXAS - MSST - LSU - ARK

TXAM - OKLA - MIZZ - OLE MISS

UK - UTjr - UV - BAMA

AUB - UGA - USCjr - FLA

Did the pods based on travel while also making sure TXAM doesn't get their feelings hurt so I moved them away from TX. To me scheduling looks like this: 3 teams from your pod yearly, 2 permanent cross pod teams, and 4 rotating opponents.

UK- - - UTjr / UV / BAMA (3) USCjr / MSST (2) FLA / MIZZ / ARK / TXAM (4)

TEXAS- - - MSST / LSU / ARK (3) OKLA / OLE MISS (2) AUB / UV / UGA / MIZZ (4)

AUB- - - UGA / USCjr / FLA (3) BAMA / MSST (2) UTjr / OLE MISS / LSU / UV (4)

FLA- - - AUB / UGA / USCjr (3) UTjr / TXAM (2) UK / MSST / LSU / MIZZ (4)

Brutal any way you cut it but money talks
 
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No one is going to stay on top forever, but you cant make pods on speculation of what might happen.

But looking at your illustration, keep the 2 divisions we have, put Misdour in the west, AU and Bama to the east, keep 2 crossover games, but do away with permanent crossover. That keeps 2 divisions relatively equal, gets us to 9 conference games and you face every SEC team if you stay 4 years.

I cant predict who will be good in 10 years, no one can.

But I am not dead set against 4 pods, what do you see as the advantages of 4 pods?
I see no advantages of pods other than it will allow you to play every team every other year. But furthermore, I only speculate on it because all the news coming out so far is that is what the SEC plans to do. Also you are the one makes divisions based on what might happen. When you say that its not fair because some are better than others. Theres no way to keep it competitively equal long term. Thats simply not going to happen. So logically the sound argument is to make it by distance.

The pods are ok to me. But really I'm not against just doing away with divisions either. Giving everyone 2 to 3 permanent rivals and rotating everyone else. The only problem with that is some teams have more than 2 rivals while others only have 1. UK's only real rival is tennesse and that has long been one sided. Miss. St. is our rival in the west but you can ask fans of both fan sides and neither really hate each other. Hell I pull for Miss. St in their other games.

But my point is no matter how u do the pods, within 10-20 years the landscape will have changed again and some pods will be stronger than others. Theres nothing you can do about it unless you plan on changing it every few seasons to accommodate the few teams the SEC wants to get in. which wouldn't surprise me to be honest.
 
Whose to say whats even 10 years from now? 20 years from now?

Heres the standings from 20 years ago. The East is overloaded. The West is really down. Missouri went 4-7 and TAMU went 8-4.
Eastern Division
No. 4 Tennessee x71112
No. 3 Florida62102
No. 13 South Carolina5393
No. 22 Georgia5384
Kentucky1729
Vanderbilt0829
Western Division
No. 7 LSU xy$53103
Auburn x5375
Ole Miss4474
Alabama4475
Arkansas4475
Mississippi State2638

So as you can see dynasties rise and fall. True you have powers that are more than likely to remain strong like Alabama. But what they are doing now is unheard of and once Saban leaves, they will drop some.

But other teams rise and fall. Example - Mizz entered the East at exactly the right time and won 2 back to back East division titles. South Carolina won one. Vandy had a stretch where they were really good. UK had one season were we we're really good.

The only criteria that should be listed is location and theres a few ways to keep them bunched up. But trying to power balance a league that for all intents and purposes should remain together for the next century is a lil ridiculous. Besides it's a moot point when you figure in each team has 9 opponents, meaning your 3 in-division opponents only makes up a 1/3 of your schedule.

Heres a few ideas. To me the most unfair one is the first one I've seen spread about. Which puts UK in a division with South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. That leaves UK with the highest travel among the other 3. Of course they can't be perfect, some teams will have to travel more than others, but theres a finer balance. Mileage wise, I believe the 4th one (in yellow) is the fairest travel wise. Although we all know it ultimately comes down to what Alabama wants.

E66YHN4VgAACQMu

E66ZqzfUYAIr8bH

E66Zq0YVcAAcePT

E66ZwXkVUAsTWmR
Of all of these I like the last one the best. You would like to balance the pods but I don't think that's a realistic goal. You would need to rebalance them every other year for it to be fair. I don't think creating pods based on balance should be the goal. The only goal that is realistically achievable is to base them on geography. The last one of these works geographically. And as far as balance goes this one isn't terrible.

The other question is how would you do the schedules. Ideally you want 7 or 8 in conference games. The easy part is that you would play every team in your pod. Then what? One team in the other 3 pods would give you 6 in conference games which is too few. 2 games against the other pods would give you 9 which is over the amount you want. Perhaps the best way would be to play the 3 games in your pod and the other 5 games would be based on power rankings from the previous season. So the best team would get the toughest schedule and so on. That would help balance the schedules a little.
 
The other question is how would you do the schedules. Ideally you want 7 or 8 in conference games. The easy part is that you would play every team in your pod. Then what? One team in the other 3 pods would give you 6 in conference games which is too few. 2 games against the other pods would give you 9 which is over the amount you want. Perhaps the best way would be to play the 3 games in your pod and the other 5 games would be based on power rankings from the previous season. So the best team would get the toughest schedule and so on. That would help balance the schedules a little.

Theres already been a solution for this too. You play your 3 division opponents every year. And you play two teams from the other 3 pods giving you a total of 9 games. The following season you play the other 2 teams from the 3 pods. That allows you to play every team in the conference in 2 seasons while allowing for a home and away for every team every 4 seasons.
 
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I see no advantages of pods other than it will allow you to play every team every other year. But furthermore, I only speculate on it because all the news coming out so far is that is what the SEC plans to do. Also you are the one makes divisions based on what might happen. When you say that its not fair because some are better than others. Theres no way to keep it competitively equal long term. Thats simply not going to happen. So logically the sound argument is to make it by distance.

The pods are ok to me. But really I'm not against just doing away with divisions either. Giving everyone 2 to 3 permanent rivals and rotating everyone else. The only problem with that is some teams have more than 2 rivals while others only have 1. UK's only real rival is tennesse and that has long been one sided. Miss. St. is our rival in the west but you can ask fans of both fan sides and neither really hate each other. Hell I pull for Miss. St in their other games.

But my point is no matter how u do the pods, within 10-20 years the landscape will have changed again and some pods will be stronger than others. Theres nothing you can do about it unless you plan on changing it every few seasons to accommodate the few teams the SEC wants to get in. which wouldn't surprise me to be honest.
I hate Mississippi State, 12 year old me will never get over reports that MSU players were poking Tim Couch and Craig Yeast in the eyes on the bottom of the pile ups and.............cow bells. F those things.
 
Seen several 4-team pods prognostications. Will be interesting to see how it finally works out.

From what I understand so far UK would play the 3 teams in their pod every season and play 2 teams from the other 3 pods every other year. So UK would play every team in the SEC over the span of 2 seasons. So 9 SEC games every season. Certainly doesn't make it any easier for UK to get bowl eligible.
 
I see no advantages of pods other than it will allow you to play every team every other year. But furthermore, I only speculate on it because all the news coming out so far is that is what the SEC plans to do. Also you are the one makes divisions based on what might happen. When you say that its not fair because some are better than others. Theres no way to keep it competitively equal long term. Thats simply not going to happen. So logically the sound argument is to make it by distance.

The pods are ok to me. But really I'm not against just doing away with divisions either. Giving everyone 2 to 3 permanent rivals and rotating everyone else. The only problem with that is some teams have more than 2 rivals while others only have 1. UK's only real rival is tennesse and that has long been one sided. Miss. St. is our rival in the west but you can ask fans of both fan sides and neither really hate each other. Hell I pull for Miss. St in their other games.

But my point is no matter how u do the pods, within 10-20 years the landscape will have changed again and some pods will be stronger than others. Theres nothing you can do about it unless you plan on changing it every few seasons to accommodate the few teams the SEC wants to get in. which wouldn't surprise me to be honest.

I see no advantage of a pod system either, just makes it tougher to schedule.

But the Big12 has become fully aware and had a conference call last night in an attempt to keep the conference together, 2 teams didnt participate, OU and Texas. They are leaving, it seems the only questions are when, and where as it seems Texas has checked into the ACC. And the Big12 has a 70mil buyout if anyone leaves before 2025 I think it said.

A&M doesnt want Texas, but I think the other 13 votes yes, open recruiting texas even more.
 
Theres already been a solution for this too. You play your 3 division opponents every year. And you play two teams from the other 3 pods giving you a total of 9 games. The following season you play the other 2 teams from the 3 pods. That allows you to play every team in the conference in 2 seasons while allowing for a home and away for every team every 4 seasons.

That's a complicated scheduling process, much simpler with 2 divisions of 8, play 7 division opponents, no permanent crossover and play 2 rotating crossovers every year. That does everything a 4 pod does and much simpler to create and make schedules.
 
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