The SEC should move Auburn to the East Division because of their ties to Georgia and Georgia Tech (ooc). That would give each division 8 teams. The teams in each division play each other with 1 rotating cross division opponent and one rotating division opponent. The cross division rivalries will have to be assigned. Turkey day matchups will return on Turkey day. Why would a pod structure be better?

A pod structure would allow us to play every school in the conference, home and away in a student's 4 year career.

I think it's going to 9 either way

WarAGle said:

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The SEC should move Auburn to the East Division because of their ties to Georgia and Georgia Tech (ooc). That would give each division 8 teams. The teams in each division play each other with 1 rotating cross division opponent and one rotating division opponent. The cross division rivalries will have to be assigned. Turkey day matchups will return on Turkey day. Why would a pod structure be better?

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So, Bama is going to give up either the Third Saturday vs. UT or Iron Bowl game?????? That will never happen.

I still maintain it will be W/E divisions with Bama and Auburn in the East and Mizzou in the West, which makes more sense geographically anyway. That protects ALL the important traditional rivalry/crossover games and it much simpler. Play your division and rotate 2 from the other division.

Sucks for A&M as our division will be the SEC lite.

Are we sure we are stopping at OU and tu?

admiraltarkin said:

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A pod structure would allow us to play every school in the conference, home and away in a student's 4 year career.

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The only way that happens is if all six of Bama / UT / Auburn / UGA / FL / TN agree to ditch their historic rivalry games not being played every season. There is little chance of that.

WarAGle said:

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The SEC should move Auburn to the East Division because of their ties to Georgia and Georgia Tech (ooc). That would give each division 8 teams. The teams in each division play each other with 1 rotating cross division opponent and one rotating division opponent. The cross division rivalries will have to be assigned. Turkey day matchups will return on Turkey day. Why would a pod structure be better?

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The general belief is pods are happening, but if they did this, why would they move Auburn to the east and leave Bama in the west instead of just swapping them with Mizzou?

People seem to think Pod structure requires giving up rivalries (playing your 3 pod opponents, plus 2 random from each other pod). But there's another way - play your pod (3 games) + 1 rotating other pod (4 games) + 1 fixed team from the two pods you aren't playing (2 games). SEC Championship is the winner of each of the matched pair of pods. You play every team within 3 years, and each team home and away in 6 years.

Pod 1: A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St
Pod 2: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mizzou
Pod 3: Bama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt
Pod 4: Georgia, Florida, Auburn, South Carolina

Then just find an arrangement where Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Tennessee, LSU-Arkansas (and probably A&M-Texas and LSU-Bama) get played every year, hopefully one where every team gets a fixed game against a big revenue team.

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

Pod 3 and 4 are why this won't happen. Bama has trash while pod 4 has 3 blue bloods. Easier to do divisions with Bama and Auburn moving east. It will cost 0 long standing rivalries while maintaining competitive balance.

8 team divisions with Bama and Auburn going east and misery coming west.
9 game schedule.
No permanent rival.
We play all 8 teams in 4 years.
2nd 4 years switch home/away.

Keeps old rivalries on yearly schedule.
LSU always *****ed about playing Bama and Florida every year anyway.

I think the SEC will maintain divisions. Also, they will probably implement 9-game conference schedules that consist of 7 division opponents and 2 rotating cross-division opponents. That would mean playing a cross-division opponent every 4 years and traveling to their stadium every 8 years. This setup would preserve the biggest SEC rivalries (Alabama - Auburn, Alabama - Tennessee, Auburn - Georgia, Florida - Georgia, Florida - Tennessee, Georgia - Tennessee, and Mississippi State - Ole Miss). That would mean LSU will no longer play Alabama, Auburn, and Florida annually, but these match-ups aren't nearly as significant or historic as the aforementioned rivalries.

SEC East:
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

SEC West
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Missouri
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M

Iraq2xVeteran said:

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I think the SEC will maintain divisions. Also, they will probably implement 9-game conference schedules that consist of 7 division opponents and 2 rotating cross-division opponents. That would mean playing a cross-division opponent every 4 years and traveling to their stadium every 8 years. This setup would preserve the biggest SEC rivalries (Alabama - Auburn, Alabama - Tennessee, Auburn - Georgia, Florida - Georgia, Florida - Tennessee, Georgia - Tennessee, and Mississippi State - Ole Miss). That would mean LSU will no longer play Alabama, Auburn, and Florida annually, but these match-ups aren't nearly as significant or historic as the aforementioned rivalries.

SEC East:
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

SEC West
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Missouri
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M

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I think this is how it will shake out because that way no teams lose their traditional rivalry games

Also, if it does shake out this way, we definitely have an easier path to an sec title than we did before

Ou and LSU are our biggest obstacles, and even combined are nowhere near the obstacle that bama is

The thing I hate about the idea of divisions where Mizzou/Bama/Auburn move is that we end up in a division with three other Big 12 schools (and three other charter SWC schools).

IrishAg2011 said:

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Pod 1: A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St
Pod 2: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mizzou
Pod 3: Bama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt
Pod 4: Georgia, Florida, Auburn, South Carolina

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Texas, OK, Ark, A&M

Pod structure gurantees more teams look attracive versus beaten up and middle of the pack in the toughest conference in the history of college football. Pods will happen

What about giving both Bama and Auburn to the East and taking Mizzou in the West? Cause, ya know, geography.

Iraq2xVeteran said:

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I think the SEC will maintain divisions. Also, they will probably implement 9-game conference schedules that consist of 7 division opponents and 2 rotating cross-division opponents. That would mean playing a cross-division opponent every 4 years and traveling to their stadium every 8 years. This setup would preserve the biggest SEC rivalries (Alabama - Auburn, Alabama - Tennessee, Auburn - Georgia, Florida - Georgia, Florida - Tennessee, Georgia - Tennessee, and Mississippi State - Ole Miss). That would mean LSU will no longer play Alabama, Auburn, and Florida annually, but these match-ups aren't nearly as significant or historic as the aforementioned rivalries.

SEC East:
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

SEC West
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Missouri
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M

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Those divisions are about even in my opinion. Maybe the East has the top two right now but I would put it like this

1. Bama
2. Georgia
3. TAMU
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Auburn
8 Texas
9. Ole Miss
10. Miss State
11. Kentucky
12. Arkansas
13. South Carolina
14. Tennessee
15. Missouri
16. Vandy

now in my opinion that is more current and not historical over the last 5-7 years but those are very close if you break it down by divisions listed above

The SEC has shown it doesn't care about equitable schedules since we've been here, hence the reason Georgia had never seen Kyle in a decade, etc. It cares about preserving rivalries.

Also don't forget one of the biggest opponents to 9 SEC games is ole Nick

I can see a pod system like this:

A&M, LSU, MSU, Miss
OU, Arky, Mizzou, tu
Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Florida, Georgia, USC, Kentucky

Everyone has their primary rivalry game in their pod to play annually, plus a permanent annual game against another team outside of their pod - A&M/tu, Georgia/Auburn, LSU/Arky, etc.

So there are your 4 permanent games each year, then you rotate 2 teams from the other 3 pods to get your 4 rotating games and 8 total.

That gets you a home and away with every team within 6 seasons. Not perfect, but it preserves rivalries and it's get you home and away with everyone a lot quicker than we get now.

NyAggie said:

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Iraq2xVeteran said:

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I think the SEC will maintain divisions. Also, they will probably implement 9-game conference schedules that consist of 7 division opponents and 2 rotating cross-division opponents. That would mean playing a cross-division opponent every 4 years and traveling to their stadium every 8 years. This setup would preserve the biggest SEC rivalries (Alabama - Auburn, Alabama - Tennessee, Auburn - Georgia, Florida - Georgia, Florida - Tennessee, Georgia - Tennessee, and Mississippi State - Ole Miss). That would mean LSU will no longer play Alabama, Auburn, and Florida annually, but these match-ups aren't nearly as significant or historic as the aforementioned rivalries.

SEC East:
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

SEC West
Arkansas
LSU
Mississippi State
Missouri
Ole Miss
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M

---

I think this is how it will shake out because that way no teams lose their traditional rivalry games

Also, if it does shake out this way, we definitely have an easier path to an sec title than we did before

Ou and LSU are our biggest obstacles, and even combined are nowhere near the obstacle that bama is

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I agree with you. If the divisions are realigned in that way, we should have an easier path to winning the SEC West. Alabama will probably still be favored to win the SEC East, which means we would have to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

8 game conference scheduled. Full stop.

WhoHe said:

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The SEC has shown it doesn't care about equitable schedules since we've been here, hence the reason Georgia had never seen Kyle in a decade, etc. It cares about preserving rivalries.

Also don't forget one of the biggest opponents to 9 SEC games is ole Nick

I can see a pod system like this:

A&M, LSU, MSU, Miss
OU, Arky, Mizzou, tu
Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Florida, Georgia, USC, Kentucky

Everyone has their primary rivalry game in their pod to play annually, plus a permanent annual game against another team outside of their pod - A&M/tu, Georgia/Auburn, LSU/Arky, etc.

So there are your 4 permanent games each year, then you rotate 2 teams from the other 3 pods to get your 4 rotating games and 8 total.

That gets you a home and away with every team within 6 seasons. Not perfect, but it preserves rivalries and it's get you home and away with everyone a lot quicker than we get now.

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I think you are confused. "Ol Nick is the only PROPONENT of 9 conference games.

Saban rings the bell for a 9-game conference schedule, talks league parity - Saturday Down South

WhoHe said:

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The SEC has shown it doesn't care about equitable schedules since we've been here, hence the reason Georgia had never seen Kyle in a decade, etc. It cares about preserving rivalries.

Also don't forget one of the biggest opponents to 9 SEC games is ole Nick

I can see a pod system like this:

A&M, LSU, MSU, Miss
OU, Arky, Mizzou, tu
Bama, Auburn, UT, Vandy
Florida, Georgia, USC, Kentucky

Everyone has their primary rivalry game in their pod to play annually, plus a permanent annual game against another team outside of their pod - A&M/tu, Georgia/Auburn, LSU/Arky, etc.

So there are your 4 permanent games each year, then you rotate 2 teams from the other 3 pods to get your 4 rotating games and 8 total.

That gets you a home and away with every team within 6 seasons. Not perfect, but it preserves rivalries and it's get you home and away with everyone a lot quicker than we get now.

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With nine conference games, you would see every team outside your permanent four every 4 years home and away 10 out of 11 cycles. You'd see each team home and away in a 6 year cycle once in 44 years. Much more frequent games.

denied said:

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The thing I hate about the idea of divisions where Mizzou/Bama/Auburn move is that we end up in a division with three other Big 12 schools (and three other charter SWC schools).

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yep, back to the future

one for thing sure...as others have mentioned...Missouri needs to go to the West division --- fix that anomaly

so A&M's 2025 schedule...

9 SEC games plus the road trip to Notre Dame.

oh my

Why not OU to the east? Make them play GA, FL every year with lower tier east teams huge upgrade from what they have been playing. tu needs to run the Bama, LSU, Auburn, A&M, MS schools gauntlet. Conference game replaces P5 game.

These kids are being paid now. They might as well earn their money with an extra confrence game. The best teams will still make it into the 12 team playoff.

Perhaps wait for 9 games until the 12 team playoff starts.

I'd think something between what Irish and WhoHe said. Switching Auburn and Kentucky even out Pod 3/4. Playing the 3 in your pod, another full, rotating pod and one permanent team from the last 2 pods looks very similar to the current NFL scheduling method. You just play your pod once and don't have the rotation division from the other conference.

Pod 1: A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St
Pod 2: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mizzou
Pod 3: Bama, Tennessee, Auburn, Vanderbilt
Pod 4: Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina

A&M could play LSU, Ole Miss, Miss St, Texas, Auburn and South Carolina every year with the others rotating through every 3 years.

I hate to break your pea pod little hearts, but if there are pods, then we will most definitely be in the same pod as the sips.

Gump 02 said:

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8 game conference scheduled. Full stop.

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gentleman's agreement, no new in state teams. full stop.

esipn will have to get their money somewhere so a 9th conference game will happen

Aggie4Life02 said:

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I hate to break your pea pod little hearts, but if there are pods, then we will most definitely be in the same pod as the sips.

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There won't be 3 "big" schools in a pod if they happen so either ou or A&M will not be in a pod with sippy

If the SEC wants to go to 20 pods are better