Alternative to divisions.

HawkeyesWin

Well-Known Member
One of the big drawbacks to larger conferences is the assumption that you must have divisions. Divisions are a large negative to the 16 team super conference that everyone assumes is coming. I look at how the B10 has broken up some rivalries to accomodate the divisions and can't help but think more tradition will fall by the wayside as it did when the B10 divisions formed and even when the B12 formed. I would love to continue the conference unity feel when had prior to divisions and heres how:

Each team will have 3 tiers of teams.

Tier 1 are the 3 teams they currently classify as rivals and will play every year (MN will have to give up their 4th rivalry with PSU).

Tier 2 are teams that have some level of history or close proximity but play each other on something resembling a 2 on/1 off schedule.

Tier 3 are teams that are not geographicly close or historical match-ups and generally play each other on a 2 off/1 on rotation.

At the end of the season the top 2 teams meet in the conf champ game with the tie-breaker rules similar to when we had 11 teams.

This allows for the growth of conferences without destroying one of the best parts of college FB, the rivalries.

Your thoughts?
 




In order for a conference to have a championship game, the NCAA requires that the conference have at least 12 teams and that those teams be split into two divisions. With an non-division plan, the NCAA would have to grant the conference a waiver allowing it to hold a title game, something that it refused to do when the Big Ten only had 11 teams.
 




Four Divisions with a team from each tier in each division

Tier One
UM, Nebby, PSU, OSU Average 85,000+

Tier Two
Iowa, Wisky, MSU, (New Team) Average 70,000+
(ND = 80,000)

Tier Three
Illinois, 3 New Teams Average 50,000+
(Missouri = 61,000, NC =58,000, VTech = 66,000, Pitt = 52,000)

Tier Four
NW, Minny, Indy, Purdue Average < 50,000
 
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No matter how you slice it, more teams means you play each team less often. Super conferences suck, but the good news is that finances seem to point to the B10 staying at 12.
 




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