On GoVolsExtra today they discussed the potential Big 12 expansion, other tidbits and Auburn to the East and Mizzou to the West.
-->http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols...bolishing-conference-divisions-379405571.html
In Auburn's current state, I wouldn't mind that and I think it would make the East more interesting. The challenge would be that Tennessee and Auburn have permanent rivalries with Bama. What happens to those games? Under the current format, both couldn't play Bama because that would use up Bama's cross-division SEC games every year and throw a wrench in the SEC's rotation. Not to mention other SEC East teams not named UT and Auburn would never play Bama until the Championship game. Forget that.
To move Auburn and keep permanent rivalries conference wide realistically you'd have to expand conference games to 9, give each team two permanent cross-division games and one rotating game.
So Auburn and UT would have:
UT or Auburn
UF
UGA
SC
Vandy
KY
Bama
West Permanent #2 (For UT, I think this would be Arkansas, given 1998/1999 games and the border)
West Rotating
Bama would have:
Ole Miss
Miss. State
Ark.
LSU
Texas A&M
Mizzou
UT
Auburn
East Rotating
So if I understand this correctly, moving Auburn to the East would destroy either its or UT's permanent rivalry with Bama unless conference games went to 9. And if Conference games go to 9, there's a strong incentive for teams like UT, UF, LSU, and Auburn to petition for automatic bids to the CFB for conference champions. Otherwise, you're looking at consistent years with 1 or more losses based on the strength of schedule you'd be adding.
The only way to do that would be to expand the playoff to 8 teams, which would take a consensus among the other conferences. The power 5 would get automatic bids followed by 3 at-large bids for the next best 3.
That or UT probably loses the yearly bout with Bama because the Iron Bowl trumps UT-Bama, which for my generation at least, who hates the gators so much much much more, wouldn't be the worst thing.
What do you guys think?
-->http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols...bolishing-conference-divisions-379405571.html
In Auburn's current state, I wouldn't mind that and I think it would make the East more interesting. The challenge would be that Tennessee and Auburn have permanent rivalries with Bama. What happens to those games? Under the current format, both couldn't play Bama because that would use up Bama's cross-division SEC games every year and throw a wrench in the SEC's rotation. Not to mention other SEC East teams not named UT and Auburn would never play Bama until the Championship game. Forget that.
To move Auburn and keep permanent rivalries conference wide realistically you'd have to expand conference games to 9, give each team two permanent cross-division games and one rotating game.
So Auburn and UT would have:
UT or Auburn
UF
UGA
SC
Vandy
KY
Bama
West Permanent #2 (For UT, I think this would be Arkansas, given 1998/1999 games and the border)
West Rotating
Bama would have:
Ole Miss
Miss. State
Ark.
LSU
Texas A&M
Mizzou
UT
Auburn
East Rotating
So if I understand this correctly, moving Auburn to the East would destroy either its or UT's permanent rivalry with Bama unless conference games went to 9. And if Conference games go to 9, there's a strong incentive for teams like UT, UF, LSU, and Auburn to petition for automatic bids to the CFB for conference champions. Otherwise, you're looking at consistent years with 1 or more losses based on the strength of schedule you'd be adding.
The only way to do that would be to expand the playoff to 8 teams, which would take a consensus among the other conferences. The power 5 would get automatic bids followed by 3 at-large bids for the next best 3.
That or UT probably loses the yearly bout with Bama because the Iron Bowl trumps UT-Bama, which for my generation at least, who hates the gators so much much much more, wouldn't be the worst thing.
What do you guys think?
