With the impending expansion of two other conferences I was having this discussion at work earlier. I know you only said two teams but I think we would try to get 4. I view it from the perspective that the SEC is so great because we have so many good teams with good tradition. So feel like if we can't grab UT and A&M, then if we want to keep the competition high, and bring in some good revenue schools, the following 4 seemed like good ideas. Georgia Tech - already has SEC history Clemson - weren't they considered back in the early 90's with the original expansion? Florida State and Miami - neither have long time conference ties. We would then move two schools to the west from the east (Kentucky and Vandy seem prime candidates with their location I doubt the east would go for that and we would probably only get one of those two schools along with a different one) We continue with 8 conference games, eliminating two of the out of division games and the permenant opponent rule. Just a thought. I just don't think we would go for anyone out west that isn't part of the big 12 right now and all the good schools have already been offered by the PAC 10.
I am not sure that I really like any ideas to expand the SEC due to the scheduling difficulties. But living in Dallas I would love to see Texas and TAM go thru the annual death march known as a normal SEC football schedule. However, Texas seems to be whispering that 'academics' are the reason it does not want to go to the SEC. Clearly BS of course. I know there is more to academics than graduation rates but this is what I found in a quick search of the NCAA site of 2009 graduations rates of football.... Florida 69% LSU 60% TAM 53% Texas 49% As usual, Mack talks a big game.
The problem with a 4-team expansion, IMO, is the conference is just too dam big. Going with your plan for the sake of argument, we have 2 8-team divisions and an 8-game conference schedule. You play your 7 divisional opponents, and (dropping the permanent opponent), 1 from the other division. I assume you play them with a home-and-home arrangement. By that plan, LSU plays Florida, let's say this year and in 2011. We don't play them again until 2026. 15 years between regular season games. Way too long a time for supposed conference rivals. I'm again expansion, period, but if its absolutely necessary to keep pace with the others, go to 14 teams. Drop permanent opponent rule. You play your 6 divisional rivals and two from the other division, with home-and-home arrangements, and one opponent switches per year. So, this year, for example, we host Florida and visit Georgia. In 2011, we host Georgia and visit SC. In '12 we host SC and visit Tennessee, and so on.
first Orrin Hatch (R)-Utah now Chuck Grassley (R)-Iowa. "U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said Wednesday that he and other federal lawmakers from states likely to be adversely impacted by wholesale athletic conference realignment will look at ways to delay or prevent it. Grassley, a Republican, said options could range from asking the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a review of whether the changes violate federal anti-trust laws — something U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the ranking member of the Senate anti-trust committee, brought up Wednesday." Conference Expansion: Sen. Grassley says he will protect ISU | desmoinesregister.com | The Des Moines Register
What about non-athletic academics? University research? Football grad rates are skewed and misleading. I love politics.
On the verge of seeing Super Conferences The Big 12 is done and it appears that the Big 10 and Pac 10 are standing in the wings like cougars in a college bar. How long before the ACC devours the Big East? And is all this just the prequel to a tourny format for football?
What is sad is that when it comes to football, if all these conferences expand and suck up all the good teams, and the SEC stays the same, those other conferences might finally be on the SEC's level.
Don't expect the SEC to just stand around. Slive, as hated as he is, is a very smart man. Behind the scenes, trying to go unnoticed, I believe he has been maneuvering to put the SEC in position to gobble up a couple of big players to add to the SEC power conference. We may not go as big as 16 teams, but I suspect you could see us go to 14 real quick here. Teams like VT, GT, TTech, or FSU and Miami are being circulated as possible candidates. The Big 12 is dead and will implode. What I wonder is what will happen to the 4-5 teams that will be left. Will they join the MWC to create another super conference? If they do, and add Boise St, Houston, Fresno, and/or Nevada Reno the MWC could become relevant in the landscape of college football
Yup. The state of mind, the unwavering passion, of SEC fans and our recent dominance makes for an atmosphere that keeps SEC states' talent within the conference, and it's only getting worse (for everyone else, that is). Couple this with a tougher level of competition in the other conferences, I'd say we're sitting pretty at the top watching everyone else scramble to catch us. :champs:
