Houston Chronicle: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

The main problem of (6 school) divisions in the B12 is :
a) All TX teams together or not, good or bad - potential controversy here.
b) If split naturally west-east the "Black and Blue" division will be the West (TT, OKSt, BYU, TCU, BYU and UH) and the "Lesser Than" division will be the East.
c) If 2 regular divisions then winners of each will be in ConfChampGame. Maybe not the two best teams that year.

Here's the solution of divisions in the B12:

Football only: Four "triads" for scheduling only. Optimal geography for the respective division members. These divisions don't exit in the standings.

SW Division (1)
TCU
Baylor
Houston

Western Division (2)
BYU
TXTech
OkieSt

Midwest Division (3)
IowaSt
KU
K-State

Eastern (time zone) Division (4)
WVU
Cinci
U Central Fla

8 B12 games annually, 4 home, 4 away, toggle biannually, per team.

Each division provides 2 "rivals" and both are geographically optimal within the conference. Each year one home, one away.

Each division plays 2 others in 2 year cycles (home/away) for 6 games. 3 home, 3 away each season.

With 8 in-conf games per year, minimize "beating up each other" weakening our collective records and poll standings. Use the SEC "strategy" to game the polls for the entire conference.

There should be ample inventory of 48 conference games for TV broadcast with 12 teams and the respective $$$.

This also frees up every B12 team for an extra OOC game that can be dedicated to a annual home & away non-conference "rival" or geographically-near school.
(TCU:SMU, IwSt:Iowa, BYU:Utah, UCF:South FL, Houston:Rice, WVitt-Kentucky-VaTech, OkSt:OU, KU:Mizzou, K-State/Nebraska?, Cinci:Lousiville- Memphis, TT:UTEP/NM/Colo/ColSt., etc.)

Then the 3 other OOC can be home bodybag (warm up, first game), a decent mid-level FBS team and a "stretch" FBS more top tier matchup. The respective ADs can do what they want with these 3 games as to competitive level and geographic area. This could give the B12 more nationwide exposure in the aggregate.

Year 1 & Year 2: (for home & away toggle)
Div. 1 plays Div2 & Div3, Div2 plays Div1 & Div4, Div 3 plays Div1 and 4, Div 4 plays Div2 and Div3.

Re-scramble for Years 3 & 4:
1 plays 2 & 4, 2 plays 1 & 3, 3 plays 2 & 4, and 4 plays 1 & 3.

Re-scramble again for Years 5 & 6:
1 plays 3 & 4, 2 plays 3 & 4 , 3 plays 1 & 2, 4 plays 1 & 2

This model is more dynamic than the quad system we had in the WAC back in the '90s. It's "everyone playing everyone" and for the Conference to be truly a conference with great inter-school/team familiarity/exposure/integration.

Standings will be conference-wide. No Division standings. Top 2 teams go to Conference Championship game. Since a tie could exist for #2 there must be clearly thought out rules to adjudicate that outcome.

Never play 9 conf. games unless the SEC does so.

On first look, I think that is a creative good idea, but I would tweak your schedule rotation by rotating in a different triad EVERY year to the schedule for variety and to move through the conference more quickly. With that tweak you would then be playing all the teams outside your own triad, 2 out of every 3 years. Yeah you won't get that home and away immediately with that first triad you leave behind after year one but it will come back to you in just year three to complete the home and away—an insignificant burp only when initially starting the conference rotation. A good way to move through the other nine teams in the conference while having a geographic triad rivalry you play every year. A more evenly distributed schedule than just two divisions while also providing more variety!

We don’t want any members feeling like they are stuck in a six team division they dislike, or see as less optimum as other members, especially when spread out geographically and Texas and Florida being important recruiting ground. Rotating triads alleviate that.

 

[Endless Purple]

Why do people try to make things complicated?

East/WEst. If you are in the east with 3 crossover games, you are still guaranteed at least one texas team a year, most likely two. If you split the Texas teams, the east still gets 2 games maybe 3. So for maybe one extra game in Texas, you cause disruption of rivalries across the conference and closer games for fans. Stupid trade off for a potential extra game. Not to mention the east would get both the Ohio and Florida markets and the Texas teams wont, so they still have an equal option at recruiting. I would guess most eastern schools would fare better with those two markets anyway.

Plus Kansas and Kansas St both di better in the Big 12 north than they have in a united conference with the Texas teams.

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

Why do people try to make things complicated?

East/WEst. If you are in the east with 3 crossover games, you are still guaranteed at least one texas team a year, most likely two. If you split the Texas teams, the east still gets 2 games maybe 3. So for maybe one extra game in Texas, you cause disruption of rivalries across the conference and closer games for fans. Stupid trade off for a potential extra game. Not to mention the east would get both the Ohio and Florida markets and the Texas teams wont, so they still have an equal option at recruiting. I would guess most eastern schools would fare better with those two markets anyway.

Plus Kansas and Kansas St both di better in the Big 12 north than they have in a united conference with the Texas teams.

With two divisons, in an eight game schedule, TCU would play 5 teams every year and the other 6 every other year. In the triad, TCU plays 2 teams every year, and the other 9 every 2 of 3 years, which seems more fun to me. So you only miss playing teams once every three years versus every other year. Coach P has stated that variety is more fun, he gets bored playing the same teams every year. And it provides TCU more exposure to Ohio and Florida recruits and their families.

 

[Eight]

With two divisons, in an eight game schedule, TCU would play 5 teams every year and the other 6 every other year. In the triad, TCU plays 2 teams every year, and the other 9 every 2 of 3 years, which seems more fun to me. And you only miss playing some teams once every three years versus every other year. Coach P has stated that variety is more fun, he gets bored playing the same teams every year.

barry, please stop explaining and go back to writing letters from camp that no one will ever read

 

[Limey Frog]

East/West with the four Texas schools, okie lite and BYU would definitely be the most fun.

 

[McFroggin]

East/West with the four Texas schools, okie lite and BYU would definitely be the most fun.

I’d prefer a couple Texas schools plus UCF, Cinci, and WVU as more fun travel.

 

[Endless Purple]

With two divisons, in an eight game schedule, TCU would play 5 teams every year and the other 6 every other year. In the triad, TCU plays 2 teams every year, and the other 9 every 2 of 3 years, which seems more fun to me. And you only miss playing some teams once every three years versus every other year. Coach P has stated that variety is more fun, he gets bored playing the same teams every year. And it provides TCU more exposure to Ohio and Florida recruits and their families.

So you go from a 7 to an 8 on a variety scale. Not a big difference.

In exchange you get more games further away, you break up every budding rivalry every other year or two with the nearby schools to kill momentum. For example, We beat Tech one year close while trying for the title, and the next year they beat us in a tight game. So now all the fans are excited for the rematch, but wait, we don't play a nearby school this third year because we get WVU. Yes, you will say that could happen with the cross over teams in divisions but most likely with a school much further away, we won't have the local fans to help build the rivalry aspect, so not the same.

Ohio and Florida recruiting aren't going to be a big focus for TCU like they will be for the schools to the east. Then you get the Kansas and Iowa schools without either major recruiting in their pod. They will love that.

 

[Endless Purple]

TCU did much better playing out west in the MWC that they did playing east in CUSA.

 

[Bizarro Frog]

The Pac 12 has the hardest road because it is the 5th best of five P5 leagues and they haven't had a really great team in the CFP era, not because of scheduling. A playoff worthy team should not have a problem winning that 9th conference game.

The "8 conference game" mantra is more for maximizing bowl-eligible teams than it is making it easier for a team to make the playoff. I know the argument that you supposedly have more ranked teams because they presumably have better records (which makes a playoff team resume better looking) but that is a very weak argument IMO, and isn't really based on reality.

What reality do you live in?

The powers that be will use any data point they can to justify their decisions. The PAC 12 has been average for sure the last few years so the scheduling has not mattered but it’s still mathematically harder than any conference but the BIG 12.

 

[CountryFrog]

I’d prefer a couple Texas schools plus UCF, Cinci, and WVU as more fun travel.

Me, my wife, and kids all very much want Orlando as an every other year road game for the Frogs. We won't be missing any of those games.

 

[netty2424]

The problem is you have a bunch a diamonds. But they all surrounded by pooh pooh.

Ezzackly!

 

[Wexahu]

The PAC 12 has been average for sure the last few years so the scheduling has not mattered but it’s still mathematically harder than any conference but the BIG 12.

Why? The Big 10 plays 9 conference games too, has since 2017.

Any conference's likelihood of having a playoff team is almost solely determined by how good it's best team is. The ACC has been represented every year, not because they are a great conference, but because in 2014 FSU was the only undefeated P5 team (despite playing more P5 opponents than any team in the country that year) and Clemson has been a dominant team since 2015, losing a total of three regular season games. You think that extra game against a Va Tech, UNC, Duke, Pitt, Miami, Virginia or Ga Tech would have changed that? And the SEC doesn't have a team make it every year because they play 8 games, they have a team in it every year because it's the best league with the best teams....and Alabama plays in that league.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Me, my wife, and kids all very much want Orlando as an every other year road game for the Frogs. We won't be missing any of those games.

Y’all big Disney nerds or do you just love the area in general?

 

[HG73]

Why? The Big 10 plays 9 conference games too, has since 2017.

Any conference's likelihood of having a playoff team is almost solely determined by how good it's best team is. The ACC has been represented every year, not because they are a great conference, but because in 2014 FSU was the only undefeated P5 team (despite playing more P5 opponents than any team in the country that year) and Clemson has been a dominant team since 2015, losing a total of three regular season games. You think that extra game against a Va Tech, UNC, Duke, Pitt, Miami, Virginia or Ga Tech would have changed that? And the SEC doesn't have a team make it every year because they play 8 games, they have a team in it every year because it's the best league with the best teams....and Alabama plays in that league.

Then why is the PAC thinking about going back to 8 conference games?

The 8 conference games vs 9 conference games benefits all the top half of the conference, not just the top team.

 

[WIN]

Then why is the PAC thinking about going back to 8 conference games?

The 8 conference games vs 9 conference games benefits all the top half of the conference, not just the top team.

Not a good idea for the pac, from what we are seeing they need to play as few games as possible outside of conference.

 

[Wexahu]

Then why is the PAC thinking about going back to 8 conference games?

The 8 conference games vs 9 conference games benefits all the top half of the conference, not just the top team.

I don't know, probably to guarantee another home game for half the league. If they are doing it to increase their CFP chances, they should first look into why they have missed out on so many CFP's. It has next to nothing to do with playing 9 conference games vs 8.

I think it's funny that some people think the SEC is always represented in the CFP because they only play 8 league games.

 

[Virginia Frog]

Y’all big Disney nerds or do you just love the area in general?

Disney nerds = you'd better be Mr. Money Bag. Disney et.al. is likely the most overpriced area in the nation, IMO. No thanks. Snore.

 

[TCUdirtbag]

Me, my wife, and kids all very much want Orlando as an every other year road game for the Frogs. We won't be missing any of those games.

Y’all big Disney nerds or do you just love the area in general?

Disney nerds = you'd better be Mr. Money Bag. Disney et.al. is likely the most overpriced area in the nation, IMO. No thanks. Snore.

My wife and I have a pact to never take our kids to Disney. We both hate it. If the grandparents want to take them, then great. We’ll go to a beach while they go through hell.

 

[HG73]

I don't know, probably to guarantee another home game for half the league. If they are doing it to increase their CFP chances, they should first look into why they have missed out on so many CFP's. It has next to nothing to do with playing 9 conference games vs 8.

I think it's funny that some people think the SEC is always represented in the CFP because they only play 8 league games.

I don't agree with you.

 

[Wexahu]

I don't agree with you.

And I’m not really totally against an 8-game slate in a 12-team league, there is some uniformity there that is good. I just don’t want that 9th game to be replaced by a team we’d be expected to beat 95% of the time, and that’s what I expect to happen if we go that route.