Should conference divisions be eliminated?

UGA and Auburn was the "lesser extent" I referred to. And LSU doesn't give a rat's ass about Florida, so it's not really a rivalry.

 

Here's a solution, if u have to have Tenn on the schedule every year....have a conference schedule that's truly fair to everyone, and in years UT isn't on your conference rotation, schedule them as a non conference game

 

LSU fans place no more importance on the Florida game than how it matters in the standings. The mere fact that its Florida matters....zero (with the exception of this year and the bs over the rescheduling). That is the essence of rivalry and there is none.

Obviously not, but the fact that some teams have to buckle up and face the opposite divisions best year after year while others get the worst is by definition unfair. I don't expect you to admit it, but the fact is a 14-team conference has hooked itself to a scheduling inequity to satisfy the whims of 4 teams - really, 2, because I don't believe for a minute the conference give a hoot about keeping Tennessee and Georgia happy.

 

Tennessee has been very good at times during the era of the "rivalry" games, but again, that's not the point. Its all about equity. Forget LSU for a second...how is it fair that Bama has to (wink, wink) play Tennessee every year while Ole Miss gets Vanderbilt? I've pointed this out every time this discussion comes up; there's no way to make it fair on a year-in, year-out basis in a 14 team conference. All you can do is strive to make it equitable over time. And its not difficult to do: 8 game conference schedule. You play your 6 division rivals every year, and 2 non-division foes on a rotating basis, with one non division opponent coming off and another coming on each season. Luck of the draw still comes into play, since there are quite a few up-and-down programs in the conference. But bottom line is, after 6 seasons, each division will have played the same opponents over that time period.