(02-28-2012 06:03 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-28-2012 03:05 AM)stever20 Wrote:  Teh only thing is- if it's just playing 1 vs 2 in division- I'm not sure that the rules will allow it. I believe the conference title game MUST be the winners of divisions where everyone has played each other.

To do something like a semi-final situation- you'd have to have 4 divisions. The 4 division winners play each other in semis, then the 2 winners play in the finals.

Your semifinals could be EAst 2 @ West 1 and West 2 @ EAst 1. To avoid giving everybody a second crossover game, everyone else's flex game could be East 8 @ East 3, East 7 @ East 4, East 5 @ East 6. Also helps #3 and #4 get a 7th win for bowl-eligibility.

It won't be that....

There are two potential configurations. Either 2 Divisions or 4 Divisions.

If there is 2 Divisions, then the top two teams play each other (again) in a semi final for the right to play the winner of the other divisions semi game. IMO, what they should then do is have a flex schedule where the East plays the West on down....3 v 3, 4 v 4, etc....schedule it at West sites one year and East sites the next.

Or, if there are 4 divisions, then each division winner plays a semi game. Think SE plays Central, Mountain plays West. Then cross divisional games could be played the same way....SE plays Mountain, Central plays West....2v2, 3v3, etc...

Personally I think the Alliance will expand quickly to 24 utilizing WAC teams and a few Sun Belt additions. Here is my prediction:

Southeast Division

FAU*
FIU*
ECU
Marshall
UAB
Southern Miss

Central

Tulane
Rice
Tulsa
La Tech*
North Texas*
UTSA*

Mountain

UTEP
New Mexico St*
New Mexico
Colorado State
Air Force
Wyoming

West

Nevada
Fresno
UNLV
Utah State*
Hawaii
San Jose State*

I noted the additions. This set-up will promote rivalries as well as bring in major markets. UNT, FAU, FIU all have brand new stadiums, all others were WAC programs. This will eliminate the WAC (Idaho will have to go back to I-AA) and give the Alliance additional leverage in TV negotiations. Most likely the Sun Belt backfills with Texas State and two I-AA move-ups...I'd bet Georgia State and Jacksonville State. Then they can look at one additional member to get to 12. They can try and entice App State to join at that point. App may want to wait to see what happens with Charlotte, ODU, James Madison.