I have been thinking about the trade-offs between 12, 14 and 16 SEC member schools. I believe the following suggestion is actually better than any size except 12, which was pretty much perfect for my tastes.
SEC – 15 schools, 3 divisions
Southern Division
Auburn
Alabama
Georgia
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Western Division
Arkansas
LSU
Missouri
Texas A&M
Vanderbilt
Eastern Division
Florida
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
(New school to be determined)
Scheduling
8 conference games (unchanged)
4 divisional games (reduces divisional games by 2 from current 6 divisional games)
1 permanent rival in each of the other two divisions (increases permanent cross-division rivalries by 1)
1 rotating rival in each of the other two divisions (increases rotating games by 1)
Championship Game
Use existing rules to determine Divisional Champions.
To choose between three Divisional Champions use head to head records. If that does not produce two teams then use ranking by Playoff Committee.
Advantages Compared to Current SEC
The schedule for each team could rotate through all member schools within 4 years. This is a significant improvement over the current situation. But note that this assumes the rotating schedule would be a home game followed four years later by an away game (or vice versa). If home/away are desired to be back to back for rotating games, then it would take 8 years for the schedule to cycle through all of the schools, which is still an improvement over the existing scheme.
Travel distance for division games would be somewhat reduced. That is nice for those of us who travel to all of the away games.
Strength of schedule would be more equal for all schools over a period of time.
Larger TV market. More money.
Disadvantages Compared to Current SEC
The obvious disadvantage is that one Divisional Champion would not get to play in the SEC Championship game.
Some Suggested Permanent Rivalries
Western / Southern
LSU vs Ole Miss
Western / Eastern
Tennessee vs Vanderbilt
Eastern / Southern
Alabama vs Tennessee
Florida vs Georgia
Possible New Member School
Virginia Tech
Advantages: Sizeable TV market ($$$$). Some football tradition. Opens up Virginia more for recruiting by existing SEC schools. Natural rivalry with Tennessee
Disadvantages: Remote from most of the SEC schools.
North Carolina
Advantages: Reasonable TV market ($$$). Opens up North Carolina more for recruiting by existing SEC schools. Natural rivalry with Tennessee and with South Carolina. Huge increase in basketball prominence for SEC (think Kentucky / UNC / Missouri / Tennessee).
Disadvantages: No football tradition.
Maryland
Advantages: Huge TV market ($$$$$).
Disadvantages. Ugly ass uniforms. Only moderate football tradition. Very remote from most of the SEC schools.
Other Schools
Some other schools would have some possible huge advantages but won’t happen because it doesn’t increase the TV market much and because the existing in state school won’t allow it: Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State.
SEC – 15 schools, 3 divisions
Southern Division
Auburn
Alabama
Georgia
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Western Division
Arkansas
LSU
Missouri
Texas A&M
Vanderbilt
Eastern Division
Florida
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
(New school to be determined)
Scheduling
8 conference games (unchanged)
4 divisional games (reduces divisional games by 2 from current 6 divisional games)
1 permanent rival in each of the other two divisions (increases permanent cross-division rivalries by 1)
1 rotating rival in each of the other two divisions (increases rotating games by 1)
Championship Game
Use existing rules to determine Divisional Champions.
To choose between three Divisional Champions use head to head records. If that does not produce two teams then use ranking by Playoff Committee.
Advantages Compared to Current SEC
The schedule for each team could rotate through all member schools within 4 years. This is a significant improvement over the current situation. But note that this assumes the rotating schedule would be a home game followed four years later by an away game (or vice versa). If home/away are desired to be back to back for rotating games, then it would take 8 years for the schedule to cycle through all of the schools, which is still an improvement over the existing scheme.
Travel distance for division games would be somewhat reduced. That is nice for those of us who travel to all of the away games.
Strength of schedule would be more equal for all schools over a period of time.
Larger TV market. More money.
Disadvantages Compared to Current SEC
The obvious disadvantage is that one Divisional Champion would not get to play in the SEC Championship game.
Some Suggested Permanent Rivalries
Western / Southern
LSU vs Ole Miss
Western / Eastern
Tennessee vs Vanderbilt
Eastern / Southern
Alabama vs Tennessee
Florida vs Georgia
Possible New Member School
Virginia Tech
Advantages: Sizeable TV market ($$$$). Some football tradition. Opens up Virginia more for recruiting by existing SEC schools. Natural rivalry with Tennessee
Disadvantages: Remote from most of the SEC schools.
North Carolina
Advantages: Reasonable TV market ($$$). Opens up North Carolina more for recruiting by existing SEC schools. Natural rivalry with Tennessee and with South Carolina. Huge increase in basketball prominence for SEC (think Kentucky / UNC / Missouri / Tennessee).
Disadvantages: No football tradition.
Maryland
Advantages: Huge TV market ($$$$$).
Disadvantages. Ugly ass uniforms. Only moderate football tradition. Very remote from most of the SEC schools.
Other Schools
Some other schools would have some possible huge advantages but won’t happen because it doesn’t increase the TV market much and because the existing in state school won’t allow it: Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State.
