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New SEC divisions and pods thread (Page 30 starts recent discussion)


mdmost

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I have to say I really want OU, Arky, and aggy in our pod - mainly to revive all our old rivalries with the latter two.  That would be badass.

But I would be good with some kind of arrangement where we play one of them in a cross-pod rivalry game every year, if that team winds up not being in our pod.

Though it would not surprise me if aggy were to do some kind of bitchass move like making the SEC put them in a different pod than us in exchange for not torpedoing our admission into the conference, because they don't want to play us.

I could also see the SEC doing two eight team divisions, and rotating two teams out from the other division for home-and-home series over two years to fill out a nine game conference schedule.  I recall the Big Ten does (or used to do?) something similar a while back.

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9 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Bama and LSU aren't afraid to play big name OOC matchups. We should do the same. You want to be the best, beat the best. I've argued this point before but 2005 became realistic when we beat tOSU in the Shoe. That set the team on a great run and showed them they could play and beat anyone, anywhere. 

Hell, Bama has this coming up:

2025-@FSU, Wisconsin

2026- @WVU, FSU

2027- WVU, @tOSU

2028- tOSU, @Ok State

2029- @Notre Dame, Ok State

 

Georgia:

2026-UCLA, @Louisville

2027-@FSU, Louisville

2028- @Texas, FSU

2029- Texas, @Clemson

2030- Clemson, tOSU

2031- @tOSU, OU

 

Yeah, I really have no idea where this weird "we don't need to play marquee OOC games anymore" is coming from.

Luckily, I know the athletic department will continue to schedule them, because they are good for UT, they're good for our players, they're good for our fans, they're good for our conference's television partners, and they're good for college football.  The only downside, ever, to playing a tough OOC game, was taking an early loss and knocking yourself out of contention for the MNC or BCS or CFP.  With the expansion of the CFP, that risk is minimized.

 

 

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1 hour ago, mdmost said:

Bama and LSU aren't afraid to play big name OOC matchups. We should do the same. You want to be the best, beat the best. I've argued this point before but 2005 became realistic when we beat tOSU in the Shoe. That set the team on a great run and showed them they could play and beat anyone, anywhere. 

Hell, Bama has this coming up:

2025-@FSU, Wisconsin

2026- @WVU, FSU

2027- WVU, @tOSU

2028- tOSU, @Ok State

2029- @Notre Dame, Ok State

 

Georgia:

2026-UCLA, @Louisville

2027-@FSU, Louisville

2028- @Texas, FSU

2029- Texas, @Clemson

2030- Clemson, tOSU

2031- @tOSU, OU

 

Damn.  Georgia schedule is impressive

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Indeed, and it's completely unnecessary in the new era of the expanded playoff.
 

Not so fast my friend.

Possibilities:

-Reduction in regular season games.
-We’ll be the only pod with two top 10 programs. We’re the only high profile/marque named team to have a top 5 historical program to contend with in our pod. 4 pods = 4 playoff teams. Only the winner of the pod advances.
-The UTEPs and UTSAs may well become FCS programs. Even if not, the talent/resources gap widens. By a lot. 100% cash grab but it’ll cost $500 for season ticket holders for a set of 2. Maybe you can recoup 50% of that.
-what’s the benefit of playing an Ohio state? Chances are these games do end. So let’s play Ohio state the week before the toughest pod matchup in the country.
- Somebody or several somebody’s will be Kansas. Mizzou for our pod is our best hope. Kentucky. Vandy. Ole Miss. MSU. 20 years from now those destinations may not be inspiring. The best chance of survival for those teams are more FCS matchups so fewer conference games. But maybe the SEC is satisfied with their control of college sports so controlling the narrative becomes less important. And preserving records becomes less important.

Super conferences are potentially very shitty. College football is the greatest due to the fan experience. That will be diluted for many schools. Now if you sit on your ass at home, well maybe you lose nothing. Any bullshit with a team getting a home playoff games due to strength of schedule is just that bullshit. Byes are bs too. For my preference, the NFL structure is not good for college. And I probably watch more NFL than 90%!of those on here.
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4 minutes ago, Had Enough said:


Not so fast my friend.

Possibilities:

-Reduction in regular season games.
-We’ll be the only pod with two top 10 programs. We’re the only high profile/marque named team to have a top 5 historical program to contend with in our pod. 4 pods = 4 playoff teams. Only the winner of the pod advances.
-The UTEPs and UTSAs may well become FCS programs. Even if not, the talent/resources gap widens. By a lot. 100% cash grab but it’ll cost $500 for season ticket holders for a set of 2. Maybe you can recoup 50% of that.
-what’s the benefit of playing an Ohio state? Chances are these games do end. So let’s play Ohio state the week before the toughest pod matchup in the country.
- Somebody or several somebody’s will be Kansas. Mizzou for our pod is our best hope. Kentucky. Vandy. Ole Miss. MSU. 20 years from now those destinations may not be inspiring. The best chance of survival for those teams are more FCS matchups so fewer conference games. But maybe the SEC is satisfied with their control of college sports so controlling the narrative becomes less important. And preserving records becomes less important.

Super conferences are potentially very shitty. College football is the greatest due to the fan experience. That will be diluted for many schools. Now if you sit on your ass at home, well maybe you lose nothing. Any bullshit with a team getting a home playoff games due to strength of schedule is just that bullshit. Byes are bs too. For my preference, the NFL structure is not good for college. And I probably watch more NFL than 90%!of those on here.

I loathe super-conferences, but here we are. 

Still, we get to play great marquee OOC games, plus whatever the conference schedule ends up being.  Which will include rekindling rivalries with A&M and Arkansas, and continuing our rivalry with OU.  

It's going to be great.  It's going to be fun.  Embrace it.  Be happy.  This is all wonderful stuff for Texas.  Way better than I expected after the past decade of wallowing in complete crap.

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I loathe super-conferences, but here we are. 
Still, we get to play great marquee OOC games, plus whatever the conference schedule ends up being.  Which will include rekindling rivalries with A&M and Arkansas, and continuing our rivalry with OU.  
It's going to be great.  It's going to be fun.  Embrace it.  Be happy.  This is all wonderful stuff for Texas.  Way better than I expected after the past decade of wallowing in complete crap.

All I’m saying is do not lock in those marque non-conferences games just yet.

Whatever it is locked in now is not guaranteed to be played. Who knows how it’ll go. If we never get home and homes with Michigan or a Notre Dame or An Oregon that’s a loss. It wouldn’t surprise me if the best ooc we get is someone like Colorado.

What if Mizzou is in our pod? Baylor, Tech, TCU, OSU are all significantly better games/rivalries.

It all comes down to whether we’re worth anything. If not, it won’t be fun.

And I’m not buying shit with an SEC logo.

And I’m not convinced we haven’t screwed this up royally. We may enjoy the funnies now, but it does appear the SEC screwed over the Aggies keeping them out of the loop. I have no doubt they’d screw us over in a heartbeat too.

We’ll see soon enough I suppose.
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1 hour ago, OldTimer said:

I think they will put Aggie in a different pod to appease them. I would be okay with Tx, OU, Ark, Mo. 

This is my ideal pod.  We get two traditional rivals in our pod, and A&M would be relegated to third in importance to us as a rival.  They are also no more than the second or third most important game of the year for any other school in the SEC.  it would really cement their place in the pecking order.  They earned this.

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8 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

How? 

Even Year: OU, Arkansas, Mizzou, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky

Odd Year: OU, Arkansas, Mizzou, Aggy, Miss State, Alabama, Vandy, Florida, South Carolina

How is this difficult?

I like this, but as you and Imma say below, it leaves the issue of only playing Aggy every other year.

7 hours ago, immamac said:

Playing TAMU every other year would be stupid. 

 

5 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

I agree, but I’m just assuming the SEC placates Aggy. It should be TX, OU, Aggy, arky but doubt that happens. 

Plus that gives LSU a gift every year 

 

5 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Any answer to this question that does not have the following pod:

- Texas

- Oklahoma

- Arky

- aggy

is wrong and bad and you should feel bad for making it.

Call it: The Hate Pod.

But, as Neon implies above, making the hate pod leaves someone, likely LSU, with a guaranteed pretty easy and comparatively unbalanced 3-team pod schedule every year.

Two solutions I see are:

1. Texas OU ATM Arky

-Annual LSU rivalry game with Bama(?) Makes LSU's schedule more balanced.

2. Texas OU Mizzou Arky

-Annual Texas rivalry game with ATM

Both of these solve the above problems, maintain relative simplicity, and allow all teams with no out-of-pod rivalry games to play all SEC teams every other year. You could add more rivalries, but keep to as few as possible. Those with rivalry games play all SEC teams every other year, except for 1 team, who would be played in the third year. 

To use Neon's example with solution 2 (no hate pod, but rivalry with ATM:

Year 1: OU, Arkansas, Mizzou, LSU, Aggy (Ole Miss removed), Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky

Year 2: OU, Arkansas, Mizzou, Aggy, Miss State, Alabama, Vandy, Florida, Ole Miss (South Carolina removed)

Year 3:  OU, Arkansas, Mizzou, LSU, Aggy, Auburn, South Carolina (Tennessee moved to year 4), Georgia, Kentucky

So in this example, we play every team in 2 years, except for South Carolina, who is played in year 3. 

Thoughts?

Edited by KYHorn
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9 hours ago, RTF Horn said:

If it's set up for 4 groups (I hate the term "pod") similar to this, then the best way is for it to be two from each group one year followed by the other two teams the next year.  None of that 2-and-2 shit that the old Big XII used to do.  I hated skipping teams 2 years in a row in the old North division.  The entire conference would be better off if every team played every other team within a 2 year span - more unity, more potential rivalries, more great football games every year,

Also less likely to duck a good team while they are up or a typically good team while they are down. 

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19 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

But, as Neon implies above, making the hate pod leaves someone, likely LSU, with a guaranteed pretty easy and comparatively unbalanced 3-team pod schedule every year.

 

You and Neon are wrong and LSU is not our problem.

Your penance for incorrectness is to room with an Arkansas and A&M graduate for three years.

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5 hours ago, Foosters said:

What are the proposals for determining conference champion with the pod system?

The winner of each pod should compete in a 4 team playoff to determine the conference champion.

That's the best option, but will probably never happen.

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5 minutes ago, Somnio said:

The winner of each pod should compete in a 4 team playoff to determine the conference champion.

That's the best option, but will probably never happen.

To expand on this thought, if there were four 16 team conferences all operating on the same model you have a 16 team playoff involving all of the pod winners.

The first two rounds determine conference champions, and the final two to determine the national champion.

A 9 game conference schedule, plus a maximum of 4 playoff games is still only 13 games.  Add in your three OOC games for a 16 game season at most.

Most teams would only play 12 games (9 conference plus 3 OCC), or 13 if they go to a bowl game.

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If this Texas/OU to SEC happens, and if the SEC goes with the "pods" alignment, then the following is pretty much written in stone because of rivalry, history, tradition, and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn

2. Georgia, Florida

3. LSU, Arkansas

4. Texas, OU

I really think the next four are fairly certain because of competitive balance, rivalries and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M

So really the only speculation is where the last four will be placed:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt because of in-state rival Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky because of geography

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St, Mississippi because in-state rival Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M, Missouri process-of-elimination leaves the Tigers here

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To expand on this thought, if there were four 16 team conferences all operating on the same model you have a 16 team playoff involving all of the pod winners.
The first two rounds determine conference champions, and the final two to determine the national champion.
A 9 game conference schedule, plus a maximum of 4 playoff games is still only 13 games.  Add in your three OOC games for a 16 game season at most.
Most teams would only play 12 games (9 conference plus 3 OCC), or 13 if they go to a bowl game.

This almost has to be it. Either that or forego a conference championship. And in my opinion, you are only left with crappy non-conference games.

16 games is a helluva lot so I think most teams will opt for 3 cupcakes.
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15 hours ago, utee94 said:

Indeed, and it's completely unnecessary in the new era of the expanded playoff.

 

Actually it won't be necessary but it's still a thing. 5 SEC teams will get in, even after beating each other a bunch.

The playoff committee was about making money, the 12 team playoff committee will be about making money.

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15 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Any answer to this question that does not have the following pod:

- Texas

- Oklahoma

- Arky

- aggy

is wrong and bad and you should feel bad for making it.

Call it: The Hate Pod.

Can't be the "Hate Pod" with aggy in it.  Hate 3, pity 1 doesn't have the same ring.  I look at this pod and think..One of these things is not like the other.  Although that could be taken a few ways.  Texas and the 3 sister/wife schools?  

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1 hour ago, Speedway said:

If this Texas/OU to SEC happens, and if the SEC goes with the "pods" alignment, then the following is pretty much written in stone because of rivalry, history, tradition, and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn

2. Georgia, Florida

3. LSU, Arkansas

4. Texas, OU

I really think the next four are fairly certain because of competitive balance, rivalries and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M

So really the only speculation is where the last four will be placed:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt because of in-state rival Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky because of geography

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St, Mississippi because in-state rival Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M, Missouri process-of-elimination leaves the Tigers here

LSU-Arkansas means jack and shit to both schools. The SEC tried to make it a rivalry when Ark joined SEC but neither team really cares. But I could see them making it a thing again so people accept the LSU-Ark-Ole Miss-Miss State pod as logical 

The only question of pods is where the SEC will put Aggy, Arkansas, and Mizzou. Two teams will go with TX/OU and the remaining team goes with LSU/Ole Miss/Miss State 

So these are the only 3 options 

1. SWC Pod - TX/OU/Ark/Aggy

2. No Ark - TX/OU/Aggy/Mizzou

3. No Aggy - TX/OU/Ark/Mizzou 

SWC Pod makes the most sense historically and geographically, but will Aggy push for option 3? Will the SEC care? Will people be mad LSU gets the easy pod? 

 

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6 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

LSU-Arkansas means jack and shit to both schools. The SEC tried to make it a rivalry when Ark joined SEC but neither team really cares. But I could see them making it a thing again so people accept the LSU-Ark-Ole Miss-Miss State pod as logical 

The only question of pods is where the SEC will put Aggy, Arkansas, and Mizzou. Two teams will go with TX/OU and the remaining team goes with LSU/Ole Miss/Miss State 

So these are the only 3 options 

1. SWC Pod - TX/OU/Ark/Aggy

2. No Ark - TX/OU/Aggy/Mizzou

3. No Aggy - TX/OU/Ark/Mizzou 

SWC Pod makes the most sense historically and geographically, but will Aggy push for option 3? Will the SEC care? Will people be mad LSU gets the easy pod? 

 

LSU would drink their own piss to have a Ark/MSU/Miss pod.  no way Bama/Fla/Ga let that happen.

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1 hour ago, Speedway said:

If this Texas/OU to SEC happens, and if the SEC goes with the "pods" alignment, then the following is pretty much written in stone because of rivalry, history, tradition, and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn

2. Georgia, Florida

3. LSU, Arkansas

4. Texas, OU

I really think the next four are fairly certain because of competitive balance, rivalries and geography:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M

So really the only speculation is where the last four will be placed:

1. Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt because of in-state rival Tennessee

2. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky because of geography

3. LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi St, Mississippi because in-state rival Mississippi St.

4. Texas, OU, A&M, Missouri process-of-elimination leaves the Tigers here

Repped because this has been the only full pod listing I've seen that makes (the most) sense. Only issue I take is with LSU and pig. They've played some great games in the past but can you honestly say they're rivals? @Kyrie Eleison can speak moreso to this point but I'm not sure if they really have a rival in the secX3.

Also staring to see how easy they and bama are going to have it if this pod thingy comes to fruition. 

Also also, to that fuckhead earlier talking shit, fuck your stupid ass redneck overrated conference. As disgusting as this feels for most of us, we fully realize the business decision being made here. Your aggy tears and the realization by your admin and fans hasn't done, nor will it do, anything to prevent what's already happening and only provides us (more of) something to laugh at you for, as well as the rest of the nation. How ya been lil bitch brother?

Poooooorrrr agggggyyyy!!!!

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10 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

LSU-Arkansas means jack and shit to both schools. The SEC tried to make it a rivalry when Ark joined SEC but neither team really cares. But I could see them making it a thing again so people accept the LSU-Ark-Ole Miss-Miss State pod as logical 

The only question of pods is where the SEC will put Aggy, Arkansas, and Mizzou. Two teams will go with TX/OU and the remaining team goes with LSU/Ole Miss/Miss State 

So these are the only 3 options 

1. SWC Pod - TX/OU/Ark/Aggy

2. No Ark - TX/OU/Aggy/Mizzou

3. No Aggy - TX/OU/Ark/Mizzou 

SWC Pod makes the most sense historically and geographically, but will Aggy push for option 3? Will the SEC care? Will people be mad LSU gets the easy pod? 

 

It's really going to be interesting who gets the Mississippi and Tennessee schools. That plus who LSU gets paired with will give a clearer picture

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14 minutes ago, BigHorn'13 said:

It's really going to be interesting who gets the Mississippi and Tennessee schools. That plus who LSU gets paired with will give a clearer picture

Tennessee schools would go with Alabama and Auburn. 

Mizzou is the WVU of the SEC in terms of distance. 7 hours to Norman. 8 hours to Starkville. 10 to Baton Rouge.

I think LSU and Arkansas are with the MS schools. 

Edited by mdmost
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28 minutes ago, Zeus said:

Actually it won't be necessary but it's still a thing. 5 SEC teams will get in, even after beating each other a bunch.

The playoff committee was about making money, the 12 team playoff committee will be about making money.

I'm not disagreeing with you. Before Texas and OU left, the B12 was going to grab one or two spots annually.  Now, they're not.  So 5 or 6 is realistic for the SEC.

Which means that SEC teams can freely schedule marquee OOC games, and not worry about the consequences of losing one early.  Some likely still won't, but those that currently do, I expect to continue doing so.  And that includes Texas and OU.

 

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If you are playing 6 other games outside of your pod and assuming there's no automatic benefit (i.e., a playoff game appearance) to winning your pod, is it really that big of an advantage to be in a weaker pod? Using lsu as the example, if they get podded up with the Mississippi schools and mizzou, every year they are still most likely going to play three games against Bama or auburn, Georgia or Florida, and Texas or ou. And every other year, the other pods would have some combo of the Mississippi schools and mizzou as their cross pod schedule. It's a one game advantage for lsu, and the big prize is a playoff birth anyway where the value of winning the conference is marginalized. I don't see it as that big of a deal. 

If we go with the pod of hate, the team that kinda gets screwed is mizzou. Arkansas is a more natural rival for them and ou is a historical one. But fuck those guys. If it weren't for them we'd probably still be playing in the old big 12. 

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15 hours ago, TexasMan said:

 

Bingo.  SEC schedule really aren't that difficult.  Arky fans like to complain about their schedules but look at their 2019:

August 31 3:00 p.m. Portland State* SECN W 20–13 61,055 [6]
September 7 6:30 p.m. at Ole Miss SECN L 17–31 47,915 [7]
September 14 3:00 p.m. Colorado State*
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECN W 55–34 55,583 [8]
September 21 6:30 p.m. San Jose State*
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECN L 24–31 56,058 [9]
September 28 11:00 a.m. vs. No. 23 Texas A&M ESPN L 27–31 51,441 [10]
October 12 6:30 p.m. at Kentucky SECN L 20–24 57,060 [11]
October 19 11:00 a.m. No. 11 Auburn
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECN L 10–51 54,619 [12]
October 26 6:00 p.m. at No. 1 Alabama ESPN L 7–48 100,233 [13]
November 2 3:00 p.m. Mississippi Statedagger
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECN L 24–54 52,256 [14]
November 9 11:00 a.m. Western Kentucky*
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECN L 19–45 42,985 [15]
November 23 6:00 p.m. at No. 1 LSU ESPN L 20–56 101,173 [16]
November 29 1:30 p.m. Missouri CBS L 14–24 33,961

Even a good but not great OU or Texas goes 10-2 on that.  Arkansas went 2-10 so they think it's hard.

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1 hour ago, utee94 said:

I'm not disagreeing with you. Before Texas and OU left, the B12 was going to grab one or two spots annually.  Now, they're not.  So 5 or 6 is realistic for the SEC.

Which means that SEC teams can freely schedule marquee OOC games, and not worry about the consequences of losing one early.  Some likely still won't, but those that currently do, I expect to continue doing so.  And that includes Texas and OU.

 

Yep, schedule at least one other big Power 4 like Notre Dame or USC every year.

Should've seen this coming anyway the way Texas was scheduling Florida, Bammer, and piggy.

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2 hours ago, MIkeHoncho said:

Can't be the "Hate Pod" with aggy in it.  Hate 3, pity 1 doesn't have the same ring.  I look at this pod and think..One of these things is not like the other.  Although that could be taken a few ways.  Texas and the 3 sister/wife schools?  

you are wrong and you should feel bad

it is not about how we feel about them, but how they feel about us. it is, as always, about us.

we don't care for any of them either way.

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2 minutes ago, hookem48 said:

I think the whole pod thing is retarded and ain't happening, 2 divisions 9 games

Maybe. Maybe not. I think it comes down to how they split the divisions and are some going to be happy that they once had a team on their schedule and not that team only comes to them every 8 years. Pods at least get you a good rotation of teams every year. 

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  • immamac changed the title to New SEC divisions and pods thread (Page 30 starts recent discussion)

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