Assuming no realignment/expansion, how would you setup divisional play and what (if any) requirements would you have on non-conference play?

8 or 9 game conference schedule? Keep the designated cross divisional rival or evenly rotate? Allow FCS games? Require a certain number of games against "power conference" opponents? No requirements on non-conference play at all?

I would keep the 8 game schedule, but eliminate designated rival game. They make sense for Tennessee-Alabama and Auburn-Georgia, but otherwise don't make much sense. This would allow players to play against every conference team at least once in a typical 4 year career.

I'd still allow FCS games, as they can be a big payday boost to our local smaller schools. I would put a limit on only 5 FCS opponents per decade, and no more than one per season. If possible, I'd like to limit it to only FCS programs that reside in a state with an existing SEC school. This helps the smaller schools with funding they need but there's really no need to pay someone like Portland State when you can get the funding to a local school that needs it.

I'd also set a minimum number of "power conference" schools, but I'd set it at 15 per decade, with a minimum of 1 every year. I think this helps balance the schedule for the schools that have to play a rival out of conference every year, and still makes them play a new power conference team every once in a while.

Setting it up on a per decade basis allows athletic directors the ability to downgrade their schedule when going through rebuilding years, but keeps schools from constantly having poor schedules.

I'd kinda like to setup requirements on playing G5 teams to schedule more winning programs, but I'm not sure how to do that as the programs can change so quickly based on coaching hires. Perhaps requiring an average of one Mountain West or AAC program a year? Or perhaps a certain percentage just has to be 1 for 1 games instead of all buy games?

(01-08-2017 07:19 PM)Phlipper33 Wrote:  Assuming no realignment/expansion, how would you setup divisional play and what (if any) requirements would you have on non-conference play?


I would keep the 8 game schedule, but eliminate designated rival game. They make sense for Tennessee-Alabama and Auburn-Georgia, but otherwise don't make much sense. This would allow players to play against every conference team at least once in a typical 4 year career.

I'd still allow FCS games, as they can be a big payday boost to our local smaller schools. I would put a limit on only 5 FCS opponents per decade, and no more than one per season. If possible, I'd like to limit it to only FCS programs that reside in a state with an existing SEC school. This helps the smaller schools with funding they need but there's really no need to pay someone like Portland State when you can get the funding to a local school that needs it.

I'd also set a minimum number of "power conference" schools, but I'd set it at 15 per decade, with a minimum of 1 every year. I think this helps balance the schedule for the schools that have to play a rival out of conference every year, and still makes them play a new power conference team every once in a while.

Setting it up on a per decade basis allows athletic directors the ability to downgrade their schedule when going through rebuilding years, but keeps schools from constantly having poor schedules.

I'd kinda like to setup requirements on playing G5 teams to schedule more winning programs, but I'm not sure how to do that as the programs can change so quickly based on coaching hires. Perhaps requiring an average of one Mountain West or AAC program a year? Or perhaps a certain percentage just has to be 1 for 1 games instead of all buy games?

Quote:8 or 9 game conference schedule? Keep the designated cross divisional rival or evenly rotate? Allow FCS games? Require a certain number of games against "power conference" opponents? No requirements on non-conference play at all?

I know this looks kinda weird how I quoted your post Philipper, but please bear with me.
I go to the beat of my own drummer, so therefore, my opinion will likely be in the minority, but I really don't care.

I would keep the 8 conference games, because I do like how it does give a lot of the teams flexibility in OOC scheduling. However, I would constantly reassess the situation every four or five years, to see if a 9 conference game schedule might need to be a reality. Not that I like that option, but may not have a choice.

I would keep the designated cross divisional rival simply because of games like Georgia-Auburn, Alabama-Tennessee, and even Ole Miss-Vandy as well as Mississippi State-Kentucky which you didn't even mention. "If ain't broke, don't fix it." I believe in that old saying. However, I would allow the the teams to put their designated cross divisional rival wherever they wanted, just as long as both teams agreed to it.

FCS games I would evaluate on a case by case basis. Sometimes teams do schedule them for the easy win, and I'm fine with that as long as it's like once every other year or so, but every year for the same purpose??? No.
However, sometimes FCS games are unavoidable, especially when a team cancels on another team, and they have to scramble to find a replacement team which is usually a FCS team. That, I can understand, and would allow, because of circumstances, just as long as the team getting dropped made a reasonable attempt to try to get another FBS replacement first.
I think I would set a minimum number of games against Power 5 conferences and I would even allow even allow some G5 teams like BYU to count as P5 conference games. But I would also examine it on a case by case also because sometimes scheduling is a lot harder than what it looks like, so even if I did establish a minimum, I might give a team a "pass" if they did all they could do to land a P5, but couldn't.

My ideal schedule for Louisville would be to first replace Virginia with VT as our permanent crossover. VT is our closest conference brethren & that would give us 3 of the premier ACC football teams (FSU & Clemson) every year. I would keep the 8 game conference schedule & I would keep UK as the last game. For the second OOC game I would like to see another ranked P5, like Alabama & ND that we have coming up after next season. For the third OOC game I would rotate Indiana, Cincinnati & WKU. For the fourth OOC game I would have a low level G5 or an instate FCS team. I'm a big fan of OOC matchups for everyone, 8-9 conference games should be the max with 1-2 P5's in the OOC.

Example:
1 Alabama/ND/other P5 (neutral)
2 FCS/low level G5
3 FSU
4 Syracuse
5 WKU/IU/Cincinnati
6 VT
7 BC
8 Clemson
9 Coastal crossover
10 WF
11 NC State
12 UK

As long as South Carolina plays Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Clemson every year along with a few other high level teams I'm OK.

I'm of the opinion that all the P5 league teams should be playing a minimum of 10 games against P5 opponents. If you have a 8 game conference schedule then you would need two games out of conference to hit the 10 games (for example Georgia played UNC and Ga Tech last year).

As for FCS, I have no issues with the games due to the financial benefit they provide to FCS programs. However, I do like to see schools schedule a in-state or at the very least a regional FCS foe if they are going to play one. Last year TCU played South Dakota State, which while they are a solid FCS opponent there would have been more fan interest by playing a Sam Houston State or Stephen F Austin plus a nice gameday check for a in-state school.

Playing an in state FCS makes a lot of cents...

For Clemson the non negotiables are:
USC - The Palmetto Bowl
GT - A very salty ACC rivalry. I always look forward to playing the Jackets regardless of the record
NCSU - The Textile Bowl. A much lower profile rivalry, but I make sure I watch it every year
FSU - Although they had not played much when FSU joined the ACC, it has developed into must-see TV and a ratings bonanza
I'm tempted to put Louisville here just because the past 3 games were amazing. However, those 3 games constitute the entire history of the rivalry.

Nice to have (it would be great to play one of these every year):
UGa - It's a shame we don't play this one more often. Athens is less than 90 minutes from Clemson. I'd prefer this be an annual rivalry, but it won't happen.
Auburn - Always a good game, but awkward in our house since my wife graduated from Auburn.
Notre Dame - High profile game. The last one was a nail biter.

I hate playing FCS games. I know it's a money thing for them and a tune-up scrimmage for us, but we do miss out on playing better games by doing so.