4 pods 4 team SEC playoff at minimum = fair schedules = deserving champion = preserves rivalries and geography = maximizes revenue Something we all have to get used to is that losses are more likely for all teams. An undefeated year now will be closer to a 1-2 loss year in the future. .500 records will fall below .500 as cupcakes are removed from schedules
How about this? All the teams that were in the SEC 50 years ago will now be called the Real-SEC Division. All the teams that weren't in the SEC 50 years ago will be in the new Fake-SEC Division. The Real-SEC Division teams will only play other Real-SEC Division teams in conference play. The Fake-SEC Division will only play Fake-SEC Division teams. Then, cancel the Conference Championship Game. Fixed. Oh, and while we're at it, finish off the reorganization by allowing only those NCAA NIL contracts that were in place 50 years ago to be permissible. So many issues solved...
..and the pods nonsense returns, again, smh! I can see the stupid banners that some will undoubtedly hang, print some t-shirts, maybe even give out some rings , ‘2025 SEC Pod #3 Champions’.
24 Texas, Oklahoma leaving Big 12 early, joining SEC in 2024 season after reaching exit agreement Now the schedule reveal will be very interesting.
Figured this would happen. My guess is we go to a 9-game conference schedule with 3 permanent rivals as stated in the article.
https://www.si.com/college/2023/02/10/sec-football-future-schedule-format-texas-oklahoma The SEC will most likely go with a no divisions 9 game 3/6 schedule. This is exactly who I predict UF will get as permanent opponents. The others are close too, imho.
True, with 3 permanent games, it is the closest thing to the "pods" format people were talking about.
That's a lot of money but the conference is also bringing in those other teams early as well. The cleaner scenario would be to have UT and OU leave in 2025 and those other 4 teams come in that same season.
UF and Okie annually makes no sense. It seems like they got it close, then lumped us in with them as they had a headache and wanted it to be done. Give us Aubie or LSU. Give the 10 SEC teams preference, then add in the newbies to what makes sense geographically.
TX & OU have to be plugged in somewhere and it can’t be based mostly on geography. Competitive balance will also be a factor in determining who gets who. I figure they’re going to give Texas LSU as a natural next door rivalry. I’ve believed all along that they’ll give OU either UF or UGA from the east. UGA will definitely get UF & Auburn and adding OU also would be perceived as too much. That’s why I think OU will be one of UF’s 3 permanent teams. No matter how this all shakes out, most are gonna be up in arms about it.
Not sure about that. Some matchups are no brainers like texas and LSU. Others are tougher to determine. We don't have a great deal of history with OU except for the 08 title game. We make as much sense for OU to play as Tennessee or a Mississippi.
I would rather have Georgia, South Carolina and Auburn as our permanent games. UF vs. Oklahoma as a permanent rival makes no sense to me, but who knows how they'll do it. I'm sure there will be a lot of behind-the-scenses politicking going on. Saban will probably get Vandy, Missouri & South Carolina and Georgia will get Vandy, South Carolina and Florida.
