re: I only see four legit division split options...

Mizzou to the east isn't a big deal especially if they have us as a perm rival game (on thanksgiving day for national coverage).

It makes everyone happy, and if we can add 2 more teams in the east later, Mizzou moves to the west.

Well Vandy is further west than Auburn and darn near the same longitude as Alabama. Why not send Alabama and Auburn east and take Vandy in the west? Of course I could answer my own question by pointing out that it would dramatically change the competitive balance in the conference... but for geography and rivalries it would work.

West
Arkansas
LSU
Missouri
Miss State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Vanderbilt


East
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee

Now I really do not like this or any of the other likely options, but something has to be done.


If the decision was between WVU and Missouri I would have preferred WVU, partially because they are a better "cultural" fit but mostly because it was plug and play in terms of conference alignment.

Honestly despite their NCAA issues and huge buyout with the ACC I was hoping for Miami which would add a historically strong program, a cultural fit, a strong media market not currently tapped by the SEC, and of course the previously mentioned plug and play conference alignment solution.