re: Pick your 3 permanent conference opponents

This is where LSU suffers for not being anybody’s top rival. You also have to consider that the SEC is going to maximize opportunities for a 12 team playoff. I think it will end up like this:

LSU, Ole Miss, State, A&M
OU, Mizzou, Arkansas, Texas
Bama, Auburn, Vandy, Tennessee
UGA, UF, USC, Kentucky

Basically, every “pod” has a traditional marquis matchup except for the LSU pod and the padding is spread around evenly after that.