(02-29-2024 10:46 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  With 4/4/3/3 scheduling groups, the easiest way to see how it works is think of forming two temporary divisions: 4a+3a, 4b+3b H/A for two years, then 4a+3b, 4b+3a for two years. So each scheduling group plays its group-mates every year, and each 4 school group plays each three school group two years in four, H/A.

Let's have rotating divisions then. (We could probably come up with clever names for each iteration.) It's a whole lot easier to best six other teams and win a division than it is to win the whole damn thing. The more trophies and banners we can spread across our stadiums the better, the way I see it.

(02-29-2024 10:54 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 10:46 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  With 4/4/3/3 scheduling groups, the easiest way to see how it works is think of forming two temporary divisions: 4a+3a, 4b+3b H/A for two years, then 4a+3b, 4b+3a for two years. So each scheduling group plays its group-mates every year, and each 4 school group plays each three school group two years in four, H/A.

Let's have rotating divisions then. (We could probably come up with clever names for each iteration.) It's a whole lot easier to best six other teams and win a division than it is to win the whole damn thing. The more trophies and banners we can spread across our stadiums the better, the way I see it.

The same schedules either way, the only question is whether the CCG is between winners of a floating division or between the top 2 teams.

If we want to have more banners & prizes, we hand out a trophy for the winner of each group, which adds three trophies (since the Battle for Michigan already exists).

(02-29-2024 11:07 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 10:54 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 10:46 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  With 4/4/3/3 scheduling groups, the easiest way to see how it works is think of forming two temporary divisions: 4a+3a, 4b+3b H/A for two years, then 4a+3b, 4b+3a for two years. So each scheduling group plays its group-mates every year, and each 4 school group plays each three school group two years in four, H/A.

Let's have rotating divisions then. (We could probably come up with clever names for each iteration.) It's a whole lot easier to best six other teams and win a division than it is to win the whole damn thing. The more trophies and banners we can spread across our stadiums the better, the way I see it.

The same schedules either way, the only question is whether the CCG is between winners of a floating division or between the top 2 teams.

Divisions would be better. Teams would play a round robin in that division.

(02-29-2024 02:39 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 11:07 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 10:54 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-29-2024 10:46 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  With 4/4/3/3 scheduling groups, the easiest way to see how it works is think of forming two temporary divisions: 4a+3a, 4b+3b H/A for two years, then 4a+3b, 4b+3a for two years. So each scheduling group plays its group-mates every year, and each 4 school group plays each three school group two years in four, H/A.

Let's have rotating divisions then. (We could probably come up with clever names for each iteration.) It's a whole lot easier to best six other teams and win a division than it is to win the whole damn thing. The more trophies and banners we can spread across our stadiums the better, the way I see it.

The same schedules either way, the only question is whether the CCG is between winners of a floating division or between the top 2 teams.

Divisions would be better. Teams would play a round robin in that division.

Top two is better for aiming to get into the CFP12 ... it gives the winner of the CCG the best final win on their resume.

You could market the divisions if you wish, but if it switches every two years, there's a big confusion factor. "This is your group, and you play everyone else in the conference at least twice every four years" doesn't keep jumping around on you, so it's less confusing to people.

With divisions, every year you're competing against the same number of teams to play in the conference championship instead of competing against 3 teams while others are competing against 2.

(03-01-2024 11:01 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  With divisions, every year you're competing against the same number of teams to play in the conference championship instead of competing against 3 teams while others are competing against 2.

The top 2 by MAC winning percentage get the title shot.

MAC obviously would hope for two undefeated teams to play in Detroit.

(03-01-2024 11:01 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  With divisions, every year you're competing against the same number of teams to play in the conference championship instead of competing against 3 teams while others are competing against 2.

Without divisions, your performance outside the scheduling group is more important for making the championship than your performance inside the scheduling group. You've got a head-to-head advantage/disadvantage against eight schools, only two or three of them in your scheduling group.

It's not "top two from four group winners" ... being a group winner is not a real "thing" (except for the Battle for Michigan, where it's a quasi real thing, since two of the three games are rivalry games).

(03-01-2024 02:01 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(03-01-2024 11:01 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  With divisions, every year you're competing against the same number of teams to play in the conference championship instead of competing against 3 teams while others are competing against 2.

Without divisions, your performance outside the scheduling group is more important for making the championship than your performance inside the scheduling group. You've got a head-to-head advantage/disadvantage against eight schools, only two or three of them in your scheduling group.

It's not "top two from four group winners" ... being a group winner is not a real "thing" (except for the Battle for Michigan, where it's a quasi real thing, since two of the three games are rivalry games).

How do they decide the winner(s) with pods?

Miami can't wait to beat Ball State and Ohio and become POD#3 Champs!!! Hang that banner!

(03-01-2024 03:08 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(03-01-2024 02:01 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(03-01-2024 11:01 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  With divisions, every year you're competing against the same number of teams to play in the conference championship instead of competing against 3 teams while others are competing against 2.

Without divisions, your performance outside the scheduling group is more important for making the championship than your performance inside the scheduling group. You've got a head-to-head advantage/disadvantage against eight schools, only two or three of them in your scheduling group.

It's not "top two from four group winners" ... being a group winner is not a real "thing" (except for the Battle for Michigan, where it's a quasi real thing, since two of the three games are rivalry games).

How do they decide the winner(s) with pods?

The "pods" are just scheduling groups, they aren't "mini-divisions". You play the schools in your scheduling group every year, you play the other schools twice every four years or so, but it's just about putting your school's schedule together ...

... you get the eight schools you play this year, and then if you beat all of them, you are probably going to Detroit.

The two schools with the best conference records go to the championship, just like in the Big12, just like the Big Ten and SEC are moving to when they drop divisions.

If there are ties, then tie-breakers decide them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(03-01-2024 03:42 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  Miami can't wait to beat Ball State and Ohio and become POD#3 Champs!!! Hang that banner!

Yeah, another reason why you would never market them as "pods": it sounds like a bad science fiction plotline.

I dunno, "The Battle of the Ohio River Basin{*}!!!"
____________
{* "Multiple FBS schools on the Ohio River and its tributaries have elected to opt out of the Battle, leaving three schools to fight for supremacy."}

(02-28-2024 04:26 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  

(02-28-2024 04:09 PM)freshtop Wrote:  

(02-28-2024 02:22 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  That would definitely make the football divisions more lopsided if the West gets WKU and the East gets UMass.

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2023/11/30/23...ng-in-2024

I thought the MAC was swapping to pods.

Akron, Buffalo, Kent State
Ball State, Miami (OH), Ohio
Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Toledo
Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan

I suppose UMass will slot in with Akron, Buffalo, and Kent State.

If WKU were to join would we be added to Ball State, Miami (OH), and Ohio?

Yes, that would be the likely scenario, two pods of three and two pods of four. The other option would be a straight 3+5+5 scheduling model.

I could see a flex protect model giving teams up to 3 rivals to allow teams the opportunity to try to play regional (divisional) teams a little more often than twice every 4 years.

0 Protected Rivals = 6 opponents 3x in 4 years
1 Protected Rivals = 4 opponents 3x in 4 years
2 Protected Rivals = 2 opponents 3x in 4 years
3 Protected Rivals = 0 opponents 3x in 4 years

Protected Rivals:
3 Michigan schools
Miami-Ohio
Akron-Kent
Kent-BG
Toledo-BG
Buffalo-UMASS
Miami-Ball St.
Ball St.-NIU?

Even with 15 teams (say WKU and Delaware), you can protect up to 2 rivals and still play everyone at least twice every 4 years (at that point, work with UCONN about a 4-5 game scheduling agreement cause I doubt they join football only).

0 Protected Rivals = 4 opponents 3x in 4 years
1 Protected Rivals = 2 opponents 3x in 4 years
2 Protected Rivals = 0 opponents 3x in 4 years

(03-03-2024 08:23 AM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  ... Even with 15 teams (say WKU and Delaware), you can protect up to 2 rivals and still play everyone at least twice every 4 years (at that point, work with UCONN about a 4-5 game scheduling agreement cause I doubt they join football only).

0 Protected Rivals = 4 opponents 3x in 4 years
1 Protected Rivals = 2 opponents 3x in 4 years
2 Protected Rivals = 0 opponents 3x in 4 years

But 15 is an awkward number for #MACtion, since with an even number of schools, you can use the bye in the week preceding your first midweek game to "swing into" midweek scheduling, while without a bye, there is this awkward Saturday => Thursday/Friday => Wednesday/Thursday => Tuesday/Wednesday 'short practice week" transition.

Moving to 14 allows schools to have fewer #MACtion home games per weekend on average ... moving to 15 throws that benefit away because you need a longer "run up" to get into Tuesday/Wednesday scheduling by the first week of November.