I've been trying to find a loophole in the NCAA bylaws that would allow for conferences to play in pods without a rule change.

Is there any explicit prohibition against belonging to more than one conference in a single sport? I've been trying to find the direct link to the current bylaws on single sport conferences. I was thinking it might be a loophole for creating pods in football:
For Example:
Atlantic Conference:
- North Division: Syracuse, BC, Pitt, L'ville
- Central Division: UVA, VT, Duke, UNC, NCSt, WF

Coastal Conference:
- Central Division: UVA, VT, Duke, UNC, NCSt, WF
- South Division: Clemson, GT, Miami, FSU

Scheduling:
- Central: 5 division games, 2 vs North, 2 vs South
- North: 3 division games, 3 vs Central, 3 vs South
- South: 3 Division games, 3 vs Central, 3 vs North

Conference Championships (there are 10 schools in each conference)
- Atlantic: North #1 vs Central (#1 or #2, avoid rematch)
- Coastal: South #1 vs Central (#1 or #2, avoid rematch)

This gives an extra 30M for a second CCG and I think would give the best chance of advancing 2 schools to the CFP by having two conference champs.

Since neither of those "conferences" would be a party to the CFP, wouldn't that lump the ACC champs in with the independents? Also, I suppose it would also cost the league their share of the playoff money. Each team would only get the same $300K that Army gets instead of close to $5 million.

That's a big sacrifice to make just to have an extra CCG, which ESPN might not pay much for anyway.

There is no loophole for pods in football. Even if there was, there won't be any conference wanting a 3 division setup. It doesn't work.

You can have a single sport in multiple conferences if that conference doesn't sponsor a sport. Take Air Force, they have 27 teams and play in multiple conferences. But you must be in a conference that meets the NCAA conference requirements...which is sponsor basketball and 2 team sports.
The only division that allows football as a separate entity is the FCS level.

(11-05-2016 02:12 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  There is no loophole for pods in football. Even if there was, there won't be any conference wanting a 3 division setup. It doesn't work.

Thanks on the single sport football restriction to FCS. That kills the loophole.

As for 3 vs 4 pods/divisions, 3 with a wildcard is way better for increasing interest across the season in a wildcard race that involves all the divisions and which allows power tandems (tOsU/Mich, UT/OU) to be put in the same pod for scheduling purposes while allowing a path for both to enter the conference semifinal. The pro leagues all employ the wildcard.

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you are talking about but... 6 Ivy League schools play hockey in the ECAC. The Ivy League crowns its champion based on the results of the play against Ivy League schools only. I doubt the NCAA recognizes the Ivy League champions for post season tournaments.

I don't believe there are any restrictions on realigning divisions. The best scenario I have heard is to have 4 pods (A, B, C, D) and realign every 2 years (so everyone has a home-home with teams in their "division."

Years 1-2: Division 1 = A&B, Division 2 = C&D
Years 3-4: Division 1 = A&C, Division 2 = B&D
Years 5-6: Division 1 = A&D, Division 2 = B&C