Pods instead of Divisions for Scheduling

[WhiteMamba]

Who cares what anybody else thinks? The SEC and ACC have the last several natties so why would we want to change anything?

Teams win Nattys, not conferences.

So to be clear, *why would Bama and Clemson change anything?*

they’re the two best programs, so I doubt it would make a difference overall. So that leads me to my answer, which would be this. To reward fans of those two programs and to take it a step further, reward all of cfb’s fans.

 

[WhiteMamba]

I'd rather not play an FCS opponent the next-to-last game of the regular season, but if you play a rugged schedule it makes more sense to play them in late October or early November when you need a breather from conference play.

What galls me are the schools that play FCS teams in early September because they may not be up to handling a decent FBS opponent then.

If I’m reading this correctly, what you’re saying is a bye week during conference play isn’t adequate enough, so they should also schedule an fcs team to take a breather.

While at the same time saying an fcs team may actually be a threat in November, but not a threat in September?

If so, I am not following the logic here, respectfully.

 

[cooljack]

Teams win Nattys, not conferences.

So to be clear, *why would Bama and Clemson change anything?*

they’re the two best programs, so I doubt it would make a difference overall. So that leads me to my answer, which would be this. To reward fans of those two programs and to take it a step further, reward all of cfb’s fans.

I don't hear any of their fans complaining about anything. If it aint broke aint nobody down here gonna try to fix it.

 

[WhiteMamba]

I don't hear any of their fans complaining about anything. If it aint broke aint nobody down here gonna try to fix it.

I assume you hang out with a lot of season ticket holders at these schools then. If they are ok with it, then I’m nobody to stand in their way.

 

[cooljack]

I assume you hang out with a lot of season ticket holders at these schools then. If they are ok with it, then I’m nobody to stand in their way.

The Atlanta area is filled with people from all over the world. Got a lot of Big 10 fans down here youd be surprised.

 

[WhiteMamba]

The Atlanta area is filled with people from all over the world. Got a lot of Big 10 fans down here youd be surprised.

I’ve been to ATL and a few other spots in the South. I’ve also been to ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Minnesooooda

So I’m actually not at all surprised they find themselves in Georgia as often as possible if not permanently.

 

[cooljack]

They love it here. Its to hot for my tastes really but its home sweet home. I find Nashville weather better but I cant stand the town.

 

[NolePride]

Teams win Nattys, not conferences.

So to be clear, *why would Bama and Clemson change anything?*

they’re the two best programs, so I doubt it would make a difference overall. So that leads me to my answer, which would be this. To reward fans of those two programs and to take it a step further, reward all of cfb’s fans.

The only true way to reward all the CFB fans is for P5 leagues to play 8 conference games and 2 OOC games against
other P5 teams from other leagues.

Then fans can judge for themselves the quality of their league vs the others.

Your quote..."Teams win Nattys not conferences." I don't have a problem with that, but currently there are only
4 spots for 5 P5 leagues and ND. Two are getting left out. There is no clear cut choice or system to select 4
teams. Just 13 people in a backroom somewhere. Teams need "perception" on their side. They can't sway national opinion playing against teams in their league...they need wins against outside competition to improve perception
and get a one-loss team into the playoff.

An example would be if the Pac12 each played 2 games against other p5 teams from other leagues that would be
24 games. If the league went 18-6, then their one-loss team would have an argument, about the quality of their
entire league. That puts their top team into the conversation. As it is now...We still have one weekend left in Sept
and your league only has one unbeaten...Cal. The league has been shut out again.

You do not change perception playing teams in your own league, you change it by playing intersectional games
against other P5 opponents.

 

[DHoey]

I believe Starkville is closer to Tuscaloosa than Auburn is, so the Bulldogs & Crimson Tide are like backdoor rivals. Even though Alabama has dominated the series, it is one that fans on both sides tend to look forward to every year. Ole Miss is just another team that happens to be in the West that we are obligated to play every year. It's nothing special to most Alabama fans.

However, the one Western Division opponent that I would most hate to lose is LSU.

But, getting back to the original question: pods only work when you have the same number of teams in each pod. The only way to do that with 14 teams is to have two 7-team pods - which we already have under the current divisional set-up. Going to a 9-game schedule would solve the long waits between playing certain opponents, though.

Here's how that would work: You play your six divisional opponents each year + one permanent foe from the other, then in years 1 & 2 you play a two-year home-and-home series with 3 teams from the other division; and in years 3 & 4 you play a two-year home-and-home with the other 3 teams from that division.

 

[cooljack]

Most LSU fans are cool. Some of them don't know when to shut up though so I get why some of the SEC teams hate tolose to them the most.

I know when they beat GT in that bowl game they gave us hell.

 

[BamaDude]

If I’m reading this correctly, what you’re saying is a bye week during conference play isn’t adequate enough, so they should also schedule an fcs team to take a breather.

While at the same time saying an fcs team may actually be a threat in November, but not a threat in September?

If so, I am not following the logic here, respectfully.

I never said an FCS team was a threat in November. I said I can understand scheduling them then as a breather after playing a challenging conference schedule. Only teams that are afraid of tougher competition would schedule an FCS team in September.

 

[cooljack]

I never said an FCS team was a threat in November. I said I can understand scheduling them then as a breather after playing a challenging conference schedule. Only teams that are afraid of tougher competition would schedule an FCS team in September.

That makes good sense to me. An FCS team as a first opponent is kind of like a practice game though before the real season starts.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Only teams that are afraid of tougher competition would schedule an FCS team in September.

 

[WhiteMamba]

I think we are too far apart on your thought process. I really don’t get what point you’re making. Going to have to bow out of this one.

 

[cooljack]

I think we are too far apart on your thought process. I really don’t get what point you’re making. Going to have to bow out of this one.

It wax cool chatting with you.

SEC West teams do have a brutal schedule though so I can see where he's coming from.

 

[WhiteMamba]

It wax cool chatting with you.

SEC West teams do have a brutal schedule though so I can see where he's coming from.

The SEC teams so run quite a gauntlet. I would just have a hard time as a paying fan putting up with Wofford in November.

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

Is this CBS message board from 2008? This topic has circled the message boards for years.

 

[7Samurai13]

Is this CBS message board from 2008? This topic has circled the message boards for years.

This comes up about every 4-6 weeks

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Honestly I think this is a better idea for every single conference, try the best to keep the closest rivals together in pods and maybe set up one "set rival" each year in another pod. Then keep a constant rotation with the remaining opponents. It would make sense in every league

Georgia and A&M have been in the same conference for years and are just now having their first matchup

Wake Forest and North Carolina are down the road from each other and had to do a non-conference home and home to play each other finally when they're in the same conference.

Even in the MWC, the 3 teams we have the most history with Fresno State, Nevada and Hawai'i are all in the opposite division, even San Diego State is a team we'd consider kind of a rival and they were going to be our "travel partner" in the Big East before TCU left and the league imploded. So if we had pods we'd get to play those programs more often.

 

[7Samurai13]

A lot of that will be changing next year. Here's what the final four weeks of the season will look like for selected teams next season:
ALABAMA
at LSU
UT-Martin
Texas A&M
Auburn

AUBURN
Arkansas
UMass
LSU
at Alabama

LSU
Alabama
South Carolina
at Auburn
at Texas A&M

GEORGIA
at South Carolina
Tennessee
at Kentucky
Georgia Tech

The SEC office hasn't released final schedules for the 2021 season.

So now everyone is going to play an FCS team a week earlier?