(09-05-2013 05:39 PM)RebelRobert Wrote: BYU
Boise
UNLV
SDSU
Fresno
New Mexico
Colorado State
Air Force (Football Only)
Cincinnati
Memphis
Houston
USF
UCF
UCONN
Temple
Navy (Football Only)
This is the proper way to do it.
So Houston doesn't get an opponent within 1000 miles? Not gunna fly.
The OP set up makes more sense. I wont quibble over which 6 MW teams he selected. I think Boise should be included. I also think SMU needs to be in there. I'd like to keep at least one of Tulsa and Tulane. I also think its foolish to leave out ECU.
The problem with adding more than 6 MW schools is that it makes the divisions impossible and it eliminates a better eastern school. I mean really....we have room for Colorado St and New Mexico, but not ECU? Nothing against those MW schools, I just think it has to make sense. I think the MW-6 + 3AAC is the way to build the best western division under the present rules.
Truthfully, what we really need to make this work is a rule change. Currently, conferences that divide into divisions must play a complete round robin within that division. If the NCAA allowed conferences over 16 to simply play 5 games in their division and 3 crossover games as long as the rotation through the opponents was continuous, then a 20 team conference would work beautifully.
WEST
BYU
Boise
SDSU
Fresno
UNLV
AF
New Mexico
Houston
SMU
Tulsa
EAST
UConn
Cinci
Temple
Navy
UCF
USF
ECU
S Miss
Memphis
Tulane
8 game conference schedule
**play 5 games in division--whoever you don't play this year, you must play next year)
**3 crossover games (must cycle evenly through cross division play, must play everyone once before repeating a cross division opponent).
**The one downside is that certain rivalry games would be missed once every 3 years. Perhaps a "rivalry" exception could be utilized if the conferences played 9 game schedules instead of 8 game schedules. Maybe the NCAA could grant "waivers" based upon traditional games. Im sure they could come up with something.
Effectively, a schedule like this is what you end up with in a large conference where there are no divisions---so its dumb that its not allowed in divisional play. The key is that it must be a regular continuous rotation where the conference cant aid teams by purposely giving them soft schedules. I think such a rule could pass the NCAA. If D-4 happens and 15-25 selected mid-majors get to play in D-4, a large nationwide mid-major conference with a single auto-bid might be the final solution.