re: SEC leaning towards 1 division

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It’s obvious we aren’t going to have Bama and that only helps our odds each year

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Well that could also apply to UGA. Regardless, the new model will make it to where if 2 1 loss teams are in the SEC title game, both are going to the 12 team playoff. Teams that are at 10-2 in the new model are actually in good shape and will almost 100% get seeds like 8-12. This year, if UGA and TENN played under the new rules, even if UGA beat TENN in Atlanta, 13-0 UGA and 11-2 SEC runner-up TENN (with 2 losses to UGA) would both get in the CFP with a 12 team model.

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LSU and Bama game is going away.

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If playing them every other year (or least twice in 4 years) is going away. I think there has been an awful lot of wasted energy over what is essentially a turnip. Yes easier permanent opponents is an advantage, but it is no where near as big of one as it is now. Put together a two year schedule rotating thru the entire conference for a couple of teams. You'll see that all the schedules are going to be hard.

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If playing them every other year (or least twice in 4 years) is going away. I think there has been an awful lot of wasted energy over what is essentially a turnip. Yes easier permanent opponents is an advantage, but it is no where near as big of one as it is now. Put together a two year schedule rotating thru the entire conference for a couple of teams. You'll see that all the schedules are going to be hard.

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No LSU plays Bama currently every year. under the new 3-6 model, you will play them either every other year, or 2 years consecutively, then off your schedule in years 3 and 4 and then back on in years 5 and 6, etc.

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The number one goal of the permanent opponents is maintaining yearly rivalries, not “fairness”. You’re so wrong on all this that it hurts

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You’re talking out of both sides of your mouth on this one. Either trying to create “fair” groups of permanent opponents is part of the goal or it isn’t. If it is, then the other schools in the conference aren’t going to vote to give Bama an easier route to the title than the other top programs. If “fairness” isn’t part of the goal, then why are they going to care whether Bama gets an “easy” permanent opponent or not? They’d want to maintain the two traditional rivalries for Bama and the modern day made-for-TV rivalry with LSU.

And you’re still dodging all the inconsistencies between your arguments and the list of permanent opponents you posted. If Auburn, Tennessee and LSU is too hard, why did you give Auburn, GEORGIA, and LSU to Florida? If Alabama has to have an “easy” opponent why did you not assign an “easy” opponent to Florida, Auburn or Texas A&M?

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I was listening to several Alabama shows on youtube and I get a sense LSU and Bama game is going away.

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I’m really not saying that LSU-Alabama is unequivocally going to be one of the permanent matchups. It’s the one that makes the most sense, but I agree that they are going to have to force someone into an odd pairing with Oklahoma to make this all work. My main point is that LSU and Alabama aren’t going to both get Miss St as a permanent opponent instead of playing each other. If they aren’t paired, they will each get paired with a different top tier opponent like Oklahoma or Florida.

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I’m really not saying the LSU-Alabama is unequivocally going to be one of the permanent matchups. It’s the one that makes the most sense, but I agree that they are going to have to force someone into an odd pairing with Oklahoma to make this all work. My main point is that LSU and Alabama aren’t going to both get Miss St as a permanent opponent instead of playing each other. If they aren’t paired, they will each get paired with a different top tier opponent like Oklahoma or Florida.

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In the BCS/CFP era, all of the following, OU, Texas, TENN, UGA, Auburn, LSU, Bama, Florida have won at least 1 National Championship. Aggie hasn't won crap, but has the resources to do what the other 8 have done.

Being a prisoner of the moment is not what I think the league is going to look at.

They are going to go for several guiding metrics or principals.

1) Maintain the historic/long standing rival games
2) have format that gets all the teams in the league to play each other within a short time period
3) and maintain some geographic proximity with the 3 team permanent teams.

LSU and Bama do not make the most sense, Bama vs. Auburn and TENN make the most sense. In fact, If I am LSU I get with other teams like Aggie, Arkansas, Texas, OU, Mizzou, Ole Miss, and actually lobby that Bama keeps Auburn and TENN (now that they have a competent HC that has them back competing for the SEC and Playoffs)

In other words:

"With Tennessee actually beating Alabama this year, and florida going into the tank, we will need to reassess the permanent rivalries and see if they are really all that important after all. Waiting to hear back from Nick Saban on his thoughts...."

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LSU and Bama do not make the most sense, Bama vs. Auburn and TENN make the most sense.

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It’s not either/or. In every comment I have made I have agreed that Auburn and Tennessee will be 2 of the 3 permanent opponents for Bama. I’m not suggesting those aren’t two quality programs who are historically in the Top 15. I’m just saying that doesn’t cut it in the new ridiculously powerful SEC that is to come. Granting that we don’t know for sure how Oklahoma and Texas will navigate the step up in conference strength, Auburn and Tennessee are just a notch below the 6 programs above them. Bama would have a distinct advantage not having to face Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida (and maybe Texas) on an annual basis based upon the present reality of those programs. I don’t see the other schools giving them that advantage.

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You act like the “vote” is going to only “pass” if Bama has LSU instead of Mississippi State

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No, it’s only going to pass if they have LSU, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma or Texas instead of Miss St and if LSU has Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma or Texas instead of Miss St.