SEC realignment

[ram1955]

I'd prefer a north-south alignment. I hate though in that we'd be placed in the "northern" division.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I agree, Auburn is right next door to Georgia and Georgia is a very fertile recruiting ground for the Tigers.

Auburn wouldn't have a football team if not for Georgia kids, its closer to half the state than Athens is, add that to 1000's of AU alumni who are native Georgians and the ones who moved to Georgia for work, they have a huge presence in the state. A bigger presence than any other P5 school including GT. It was mentioned briefly at the meeting, nothing happening in the realignment front in the next few years. When it and if it happens don't be shocked if Bama doesn't come with them. You know the other members of the west will vote 5-0 to swap AU and Bama for Vandy and Missouri. That would put all the old time rival games in the same divisions, we could then rotate 2 teams from opposite divisions every year. The 1 rotating was to keep all those old rival games who ended up in different divisions, namely UGA-AU and Bama-UT. It would also allow some that were forced to stop because of the split to resume, AU-UF, AU-UT were also long playing rival games.

 

[Brown is the new Blue]

I don't think the West is really superior to the East, rather I think Alabama is so much better than any other program that everyone wants to run from them, and for good reason. The Tide was 13-0 last season while the next best record in the West was 8-4. LSU just replaced their coach and Arkansas, Ole Miss and A&M all have coaches on the hot seat. Two of the seven West teams failed to make a bowl. That doesn't sound to me like a dominant division that should be "weakened" by shuffling some East teams over there in exchange.

Also I agree with BlueRaider regarding the historical ups and downs of teams. Kentucky is moving on a strong trend upward and is essentially a middle tier SEC team now IMO, which helps the East as well.

51-25

 

[Brown is the new Blue]

I don't think the West is really superior to the East, rather I think Alabama is so much better than any other program that everyone wants to run from them, and for good reason. The Tide was 13-0 last season while the next best record in the West was 8-4. LSU just replaced their coach and Arkansas, Ole Miss and A&M all have coaches on the hot seat. Two of the seven West teams failed to make a bowl. That doesn't sound to me like a dominant division that should be "weakened" by shuffling some East teams over there in exchange.

Also I agree with BlueRaider regarding the historical ups and downs of teams. Kentucky is moving on a strong trend upward and is essentially a middle tier SEC team now IMO, which helps the East as well.

Just wait until UK wins the East this year. That will be the nail in the coffin of the current alignment.

 

[Blue Decade]

I remember just a few short years ago before Saban got to Bama, the west was all hot garbage and the SEC had Florida, UT and UGA leading the way.

Exactly. All these things go in cycles.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

Auburn wouldn't have a football team if not for Georgia kids, its closer to half the state than Athens is, add that to 1000's of AU alumni who are native Georgians and the ones who moved to Georgia for work, they have a huge presence in the state. A bigger presence than any other P5 school including GT. It was mentioned briefly at the meeting, nothing happening in the realignment front in the next few years. When it and if it happens don't be shocked if Bama doesn't come with them. You know the other members of the west will vote 5-0 to swap AU and Bama for Vandy and Missouri. That would put all the old time rival games in the same divisions, we could then rotate 2 teams from opposite divisions every year. The 1 rotating was to keep all those old rival games who ended up in different divisions, namely UGA-AU and Bama-UT. It would also allow some that were forced to stop because of the split to resume, AU-UF, AU-UT were also long playing rival games.

All you have to do is drive around the state of Georgia and see the AU on Georgia plates. Only Georgia has more vanity license plates than Auburn. Their presence is indeed huge in the state. I never thought of Bama and Auburn both coming to the East. That would shake things up.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

All you have to do is drive around the state of Georgia and see the AU on Georgia plates. Only Georgia has more vanity license plates than Auburn. Their presence is indeed huge in the state. I never thought of Bama and Auburn both coming to the East. That would shake things up.

AU is the backup plan for many Georgia kids who can't get into UGA as incoming frosh and don't want to attend a community college for a year and transfer in as sophs. With my HS GPA and test scores they would fall out of their chairs laughing if I applied today, but were happy to get me in the late 60's. The Hope Scholarship made college possible for an awful lot of kids who couldn't get in pre lottery in Georgia. But a regular student better be carrying a 3.7 and a 26+ test score to have a prayer of getting accepted. Of course we have athletes who get in who don't come near those numbers, but that's another story. So we have many kids apply to AU, Clemson and even FSU depending on where they live. I have a quite a few friends and former students who are AU alumni.

 

[southindycat]

Does realignment require unanimity, super majority, or simple majority? Does anyone know for certain?

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Does realignment require unanimity, super majority, or simple majority? Does anyone know for certain?

I don't know, but before expansion 4 votes could keep a team from becoming a member, UF, UGA, USC and UK had a gentlemen's agreement to ensure, FSU, CLemson, GT and Louisville wouldn't get in. That was when the ACC was struggling to keep up financially, they are paying a pretty nice sum to members now I think. So, sounds like it was at least a 66% to get something done, so, 9 or 10 votes to make a move like realignment?

 

[Brown is the new Blue]

Exactly. All these things go in cycles.

Notre Dame fans hope and pray you are right. But it doesn't always work out that way.

I can understand why UK fans fear re-alignment. Right now its one of the weakest divisions in P5 football.

 

[southindycat]

I don't know, but before expansion 4 votes could keep a team from becoming a member, UF, UGA, USC and UK had a gentlemen's agreement to ensure, FSU, CLemson, GT and Louisville wouldn't get in. That was when the ACC was struggling to keep up financially, they are paying a pretty nice sum to members now I think. So, sounds like it was at least a 66% to get something done, so, 9 or 10 votes to make a move like realignment?

Thanks. An old (2014-2015) copy of the bylaws I dug up online suggests 2/3 majority to add a member, but simple majority to realign divisions. Not sure about the present, however.

 

[BlueRattie]

1. I agree with the whole "ebb and flow" theory on the conference. There is no iron law that says that 'Bama will be good forever or that a giant (or two) won't rise in the east.
2. There is something silly, though about calling the divisions the East and West when these divisions are clearly not east and west. Either get rid of the names or realign.
3. If they did realign, East / West makes sense, if you're willing to lose the Bama / UT game.
4. A North / South alignment doesn't seem to work at all, and it hearkens back to a dark time in US history.
5. I am actually in favor of a more radical option that would be good for the SEC, but bad for Kentucky:

• Go to a nine game conference schedule like every other major conference.
• Ditch the geographical divisions and go to a rival based division scheme.

Division 1: <Rival> Division 2:
Tennessee -- <> -- Vandy (Battle for the Smokies)
Alabama -- <> -- Auburn (Iron Bowl)
Georgia -- <> -- Florida (TWLOCP)
Kentucky -- <> -- Missouri (The New Madrid Showdown)
Arkansas -- <> -- South Carolina (The Class of 1990)
Ole Miss -- <> -- Miss. State (The Egg Bowl)
Texas A&M -- <> -- LSU (Battle for the Gulf)

 

[Oldtrainer]

Strictly from geographic point Auburn should be in East and Missouri in West.