(05-09-2022 08:56 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  Here's a thought for SEC divisionless scheduling. If the SEC wants to a conference semifinal for the top 4 or to just stay at 8 conference games, use 4+1 protected rivals. 4 conference rivals are annual with a 5th rival played 4 times in 6 years. Everyone else is played home & home in 6 years.

The 9th conference game is 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3 for the conference semi-finals with the 2 winners meeting in the CCG. For non-championship participates, teams are paired into either 5-8, 9-12, 13-16 groups or 5-10, 11-16 groups, and teams are matched up based on the groups with an emphasis on rivalry games missed.

Obviously, it would be tough with the ACC-SEC games thanksgiving weekend unless the ACC did something similar adding a conference semifinal with divisionless scheduling and all leagues with conference semis moved their traditional rivalry week to the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Now if there was no conference semi-final games for the SEC with a 9 game conference schedule, then I would agree that the SEC needs 6 protected rivals while rotating everyone else home & home every 6 years.

I like the concept here, but I think that even with a 5-10 and 11-16 group it disadvantages (can I use that as a verb?) the 5 team.

Say 1 v. 4 is a blowout. 2 vs. 3 is close, and the favorites win. That means that the 5 seed could make a case for being the third best team in the SEC, and in a 12 team playoff, that could mean a spot. But playing the 10th ranked team doesn't really help them make their case.

It would get super complicated quick, but I'd like to see a "next highest seeded team not already played." So if 5 has already played 6, they get 7. That's not a pushover, at the very least.

On the other hand, setting opponents at the last minute for what I assume would be on-campus games would be a challenge. Would semi's that count as postseason games at neutral sites work better? Would adding that extra game be allowed. That could put the National Champion at 12 + conference semi + conference final + national semi + national final (16 games, 17 if they use the Hawaii rule).