Conference Realignment Board

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Given that the SEC values 2 cross-division rivalries

(AL vs. TN and Auburn vs. UGA) as much as the ACC values UNC vs. UVA, I do believe both the SEC and ACC would opt for protected cross-division quads/pods so that they could have 1 protected game and 1 rotating game among the remaining 3 members in the quad/pod.

Having said that, it will depend on who the SEC gets for #15 and #16 because I could see it go a couple different ways. Given who is currently available, I do think the SEC is limited to Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Kansas, Kansas State, WVU, Cincy, or ECU if the SEC wants to expand prior to the GOR expiring. If the SEC decides to use rotating pods, then I can tell you that the SEC will have problems finding a combination that will allow these rivalry games to be played annually:

AL vs. TN
Auburn vs. UGA
KY vs. TN
Vandy vs. TN
UF vs. UGA
UGA vs. South Carolina
UF vs. TN

Maybe the only combination that could work is this with Pod A paired with Pod B:

Pod A: KY, SC, UGA, UF
Pod B: AL, Auburn, TN, Vandy

The downside to this option is that TN will have to decide between KY or UF who they want to be paired with. In theory the SEC could end up with a bunch of meaningless pairings (i.e. BC-VT) in order to protect AL-TN and Auburn-UGA. If I had to take a guess, I suspect the SEC would opt to keep the permanent divisions and expand the conference schedule to 9 games so it could have 1 protected cross-division game and 1 rotating cross-division game.

FWIW the ACC could run into similar problems regarding what to do about the 4 NC schools while protecting both the NC rivalries, the UNC-UVA rivalry, and the Textile Bowl (aka Clemson vs. NC State). If I had to take a guess, then I would think the ACC would lean towards using a zipper model so it could place either 1 NC school in each quad/pod or 2 NC schools in 2 quads/pod (see example below).

Quad A: UNC, Duke, UVA, GT
Quad B: NC State, Wake, VT, Clemson
Quad C: Syracuse, L'ville, FSU, WVU
Quad D: BC, Notre Dame, Miami, Pitt

Pairings
Quad A - Quad B
Quad C - Quad D

I did it on purpose because as you can see VT and WVU won't be able to play annually. There is a possibility that the ACC may have to decide between 2 "important" rivalries on which one gets to be played annually or not. In this case, the ACC is deciding between the "Textile Bowl" and the "Black Diamond Trophy." The ACC would have to make the same decision if it placed 1 NC school in each quad/pod.

(In response to this post by Stech)

Posted: 05/14/2019 at 09:47AM

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Current Thread:

Any chance ACC scrapping divisions? ** -- SoCloseHokie 05/10/2019 07:39AM

Need to go to 16 and have 4 divisions, we would play each other more often -- Stech 05/13/2019 07:42AM

Can you give us your divisions? Let's say ND and WVu involved/ ** -- SoCloseHokie 05/13/2019 08:07AM

Possible option -- HOO86 05/14/2019 11:05AM

That would work too...got to keep the passion in the divisions. -- Stech 05/15/2019 10:37AM

Regional rivalries are very important. -- HOO86 05/15/2019 09:34AM

If the ACC did go with these 4 divisions/pods/quads -- VTHokie2000 05/14/2019 12:26PM

Re: Can you give us your divisions? Let's say ND and WVu involved/ -- Stech 05/13/2019 10:08PM

I totally agree with that geographical aspect. ** -- IB4TECH 05/14/2019 10:06PM

Not that I believe this will occur. -- goldendomer 05/14/2019 9:50PM

Only Cuse should -- SoCloseHokie 05/15/2019 07:10AM

Pitt and B.C. Are secondary -- goldendomer 05/15/2019 08:05AM

You dont have but one rivalry. USC -- SoCloseHokie 05/15/2019 09:33AM

Pitt is a team we just played a lot. Nothing more -- goldendomer 05/15/2019 10:17AM

So do ND fans prefer having an arrangement with B1G -- Femoyer Hokie 05/15/2019 10:53AM

Look at the annual games that ND wants to keep -- TerryD 05/15/2019 6:40PM

The 4 *Divisions rotate so each school gets Eastern exposure, I get ND fan -- Stech 05/16/2019 08:39AM

All your points are same as usual but.... -- SoCloseHokie 05/16/2019 06:42AM

And yet, ND football is STILL not in a conference after 30 years of CR -- TerryD 05/16/2019 08:16AM

No you are . Still you have been used. -- SoCloseHokie 05/16/2019 08:23AM

I hope you don't take this personally, but it just screams apropos that -- IB4TECH 05/15/2019 9:51PM

Not chiding at all -- TerryD 05/15/2019 10:33PM

Nope, recruiting is much better in the south. -- goldendomer 05/15/2019 10:54AM

We know how you feel about BC. VT is stuck with them every stinkin year!! ** -- Lakeridgehokie 05/16/2019 09:04AM

See my post above to TerryD. ** -- Stech 05/16/2019 08:43AM

I’m all for this. Hopefully it’s true in 2026, or sooner ** -- Red Hokie 05/13/2019 8:20PM

I can give you plausible divisions, but I would need to know 1 thing -- VTHokie2000 05/13/2019 1:46PM

All 3 ** -- SoCloseHokie 05/13/2019 6:09PM

Example 1 -- VTHokie2000 05/13/2019 10:09PM

Which one do you think the SEC would do if it were their choice? -- Stech 05/14/2019 07:21AM

Given that the SEC values 2 cross-division rivalries -- VTHokie2000 05/14/2019 09:47AM

The ACC (BB overlords) would love to add Kentucky ** -- EDGEMAN 05/14/2019 08:00AM

Not happening until ND joins for football. -- EDGEMAN 05/13/2019 07:48AM

So you're really saying, there will never be divisions. ** -- Atlee Hokie 05/13/2019 9:10PM

We currently have two divisions: Coastal and Atlantic... -- EDGEMAN 05/14/2019 08:51AM

Pardon. I read it wrong. -- Atlee Hokie 05/14/2019 09:49AM

No worries Atlee -- EDGEMAN 05/14/2019 09:51AM

Re: Not happening until ND joins for football. -- Stech 05/13/2019 08:02AM

Bingo as always wise Yoda.!! -- Mercury 05/13/2019 12:39PM

I think ESPN's mini-network keeps things -- daveinop 05/14/2019 09:10AM

Most if not all of their teams have always been safe at being in a PConf. ** -- Stech 05/15/2019 07:59AM

Looks like FOX not all that happy -- mrcaniac 05/14/2019 5:07PM

Only if the ACC is willing to play 13 conference games -- VTHokie2000 05/10/2019 12:56PM

IIRC, Puerto Rico counts -- mrcaniac 05/10/2019 7:35PM

Given that Puerto Rico counts in the bylaws and currently there is no DI -- VTHokie2000 05/13/2019 1:41PM

They should -- Millpoint 05/10/2019 09:45AM

I imagine our three protected rivals would be UVA, GT, and BC -- I85Hokie 05/10/2019 11:52AM

BC's heated rivals are Syracuse, ND and 16th school assuming ND comes. It's -- Stech 05/13/2019 07:46AM

ND doesn't view BC as a rival -- TerryD 05/13/2019 5:11PM

ND gets students from Boston, you may not, but your admin likes exposure -- Stech 05/13/2019 7:51PM

Agree totally with Boston exposure..... -- TerryD 05/14/2019 06:29AM

Similar to what some UVA people said about VT...not since joining the ACC. -- Stech 05/14/2019 06:40AM

Based on articles I have read from BC's perspective -- VTHokie2000 05/13/2019 5:31PM

I've been to Boston often, they see them as their rival even if ND doesn't.** -- Stech 05/13/2019 7:49PM

And that is why they are Fredo ;-) ** -- VTHokie2000 05/14/2019 12:59PM

If WVU is the 16th school, then BC won't be paired with them -- VTHokie2000 05/13/2019 2:22PM

I thought it would be Loserville -- Millpoint 05/10/2019 6:07PM

Not necessarily because it may depend on how things work -- VTHokie2000 05/10/2019 12:59PM

I'm OK with GT as long as they've left their CBU reputation behind -- EDGEMAN 05/10/2019 12:26PM

That will require getting approval from the other P5 conferences -- EDGEMAN 05/10/2019 10:12AM

True -- Millpoint 05/10/2019 6:11PM

ND has no desire to participate in an ACC title game -- TerryD 05/12/2019 09:35AM

Not exactly -- RTFC 05/13/2019 11:41AM

Re: ND has no desire to participate in an ACC title game -- Stech 05/13/2019 07:59AM

What I meant was that ND is not lobbying for this at all -- TerryD 05/13/2019 5:09PM

I agree, they move only when it's their only way to the playoff. ** -- Stech 05/13/2019 7:52PM

I laugh everytime I see someone post about additions to the ACC -- EDGEMAN 05/14/2019 09:16AM

ND is not going to leave the ACC -- TerryD 05/14/2019 11:23AM

Glad ND is happy in the ACC! -- EDGEMAN 05/14/2019 12:06PM

Exactly. -- VTHokie2000 05/10/2019 1:04PM

Given that the SEC values 2 cross-division rivalries

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