Any new conference realignment ideas?

[jpfine]

I know there has been numerous posts on conference realignment ideas, but I was looking for any updated ideas, because most of the posts are pretty outdated. Any ideas that greatly incorporate a playoff system would be great, but not mandatory. Thanks!

[PacMan44]

More like look back at what could have been. For example, would the Big East still be around for football if Penn State said no to the Big Ten?

[Tuscaloosa]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpfine

I know there has been numerous posts on conference realignment ideas, but I was looking for any updated ideas, because most of the posts are pretty outdated. Any ideas that greatly incorporate a playoff system would be great, but not mandatory. Thanks!

I've been doing this system for a while now and really love it. I assume I'll always go with it in all of my forthcoming dynasties. Promotion/relegation based on time zones. If a team goes winless in conference, they're out, being replaced with the best team from the corresponding Tier 2 conference or the Sun Belt. Tier 1's have 14 teams. Tier 2's have 12 teams (*correction - my MAC currently has 10). Sun Belt changes number of teams, at times, but typically has 7-8.

Eastern: Tier 1 - Big Ten (North), ACC (South) //// Tier 2 - American (North), MAC (South) All have North and South divisions.

Central: Tier 1 - Big 12 //// Tier 2 - C-USA Both have North and South divisions.

Mountain/Pacific (Combined): Tier 1 - PAC 12 //// Tier 2 - MWC. PAC 12 has Pacific and Mountain (the 6 or 7 teams closest to the Mountain Time Zone; some, at times, will technically be geographically located in the Pacific Time Zone) as its divisions*. MWC has North and South for its divisions.

SEC is also considered Tier 1, consisting of top Southeastern teams from from both Eastern and Central Time Zones, stopping at the conveniently placed state lines of North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Every state under, including Texas, can be included. Divisions are East and West, but could, of course, be changed to North/South, if more convenient. East/West has just always been more convenient for me, considering the shape of "the zone".

As it conveniently fits most of the remaining teams, like the SEC, I sort of treat the Sun Belt as it's own zone using this map. Sun Belt can supply teams for both Tier 1's and Tier 2's.

Remaining teams are your Independents. For the vast majority of my dynasty they have been Kansas and Kansas State. Yep, the two teams smack dab in the middle.




* This is, of course, optional as you could always stick to the North/South divisions that work well, but I really like being able to let each time zone represent their own division since these two time zones are combined, sharing a conference.

For instance, I'm in 2068 in my current dynasty, and this is what my PAC 12 has grown into: Pacific - Nevada, UCLA, Stanford, USC, Washington, Hawai'i, Cal (and I know here you might think, "that's not much different than real life", but it's important to note that both UCLA and USC spent many years in the MWC, but were both able to make a comeback) & Mountain - Colorado, Air Force, BYU, Utah, Colorado State, New Mexico, Arizona



All of the maps and pics that I use:

Sun Belt Map

Time Zones

Geographical Team Locations

[jpfine]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tuscaloosa

I've been doing this system for a while now and really love it. I assume I'll always go with it in all of my forthcoming dynasties. Promotion/relegation based on time zones. If a team goes winless in conference, they're out, being replaced with the best team from the corresponding Tier 2 conference or the Sun Belt. Eastern: Tier 1 - Big Ten (North), ACC (South) //// Tier 2 - American (North), MAC (South) All have North and South divisions. Central: Tier 1 - Big 12 //// Tier 2 - C-USA Both have North and South divisions. Mountain/Pacific (Combined): Tier 1 - PAC 12 //// Tier 2 - MWC. PAC 12 has Pacific and Mountain (the 6 or 7 teams closest to the Mountain Time Zone; some, at times, will technically be geographically located in the Pacific Time Zone) as its divisions*. MWC has North and South for its divisions. As it conveniently fits most of the remaining teams, I sort of treat the Sun Belt as it's own zone using this map. Sun Belt can supply teams for both Tier 1's and Tier 2's. Remaining teams are your Independents. For the vast majority of my dynasty they have been Kansas and Kansas State. Yep, the two teams smack dab in the middle. * This is, of course, optional as you could always stick to the North/South divisions that work well, but I really like being able to let each time zone represent their own division since these two time zones are combined, sharing a conference. For instance, I'm in 2068 in my current dynasty, and this is what my PAC 12 has grown into: Pacific - Nevada, UCLA, Stanford, USC, Washington, Hawai'i, Cal (and I know here you might think, "that's not much different than real life", but it's important to note that both UCLA and USC spent many years in the MWC, but were both able to make a comeback) & Mountain - Colorado, Air Force, BYU, Utah, Colorado State, New Mexico, Arizona All of the maps and pics that I use: Sun Belt Map Time Zones Geographical Team Locations

This is a pretty cool idea! Any idea of what the conferences looked like at the beginning of the dynasty? Are there any instances where you need to move one team from the P/M ladder to the C ladder, for example? Also, how does your national championship work? Regular format, 4-team playoff?

[Tuscaloosa]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpfine

This is a pretty cool idea! Any idea of what the conferences looked like at the beginning of the dynasty? Are there any instances where you need to move one team from the P/M ladder to the C ladder, for example? Also, how does your national championship work? Regular format, 4-team playoff?

Thanks. I updated it, btw, realized I had left out some key components.

At the start of the dynasty, I was using last years community rosters. So, in my setup, I like for the Tier 1's to have 14 teams, and Tier 2's to have 12. So, I just took the best teams from last years rosters and placed them in the proper conference according to the the time zone guidelines. The rest of my initial selections were based on tradition and National Championship wins. So, for example, despite recent struggles, Tennessee would have started in either the SEC or ACC because of their tradition and Natties.

I don't quite understand your ladder question.

As for playoff, I've yet to attempt one, but I think it would be really cool to do a 4-teamer with the Tier 1's, or an 8-teamer with the 1's and 2's and maybe a Sun Belt or Independent team as a wildcard, if deserving over a Tier 2 champ.

I'm not sure if it's the structure of the conferences or what, but there's only been a few times where I felt like the old BCS system didn't get it right in my little universe. Every great once in a while, there would be 3-4 undefeated teams, and I might disagree with the #2 team the game chose, but it's rare. In fact, it seems like there is often only two undefeated teams left. Sometimes, just one.

[DonJonpin]

Wow funny you ask... I literally just found this out and I’ve re fallen in love with this game again.

If every conference has exactly 11 teams. No more divisions. No more conference championship games. There will also be 26 independents.

By doing this every team plays an 8 game rotating conference schedule, with 4 non conference slots.

So scheduling and rankings and records will be very balanced and it will be much simpler to be able to say an 11-1 P5 team is better than a 10-2 P5 team.

That said the cool thing about moving some P5 schools as independents is it works out as a de facto regulation/deregulation system without you even trying. For example in my dynasty Colorado was the initial team I kicked to Indy from the PAC12 based on starting rankings and prestige. 2 years later Colorado finishes in the top 12, wins their bowl game, and moved up prestige. I swap them out for Washington State who struggled.


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[Tuscaloosa]

Quote: Originally Posted by DonJonpin

Wow funny you ask... I literally just found this out and I’ve re fallen in love with this game again. If every conference has exactly 11 teams. No more divisions. No more conference championship games. There will also be 26 independents. By doing this every team plays an 8 game rotating conference schedule, with 4 non conference slots. So scheduling and rankings and records will be very balanced and it will be much simpler to be able to say an 11-1 P5 team is better than a 10-2 P5 team. That said the cool thing about moving some P5 schools as independents is it works out as a de facto regulation/deregulation system without you even trying. For example in my dynasty Colorado was the initial team I kicked to Indy from the PAC12 based on starting rankings and prestige. 2 years later Colorado finishes in the top 12, wins their bowl game, and moved up prestige. I swap them out for Washington State who struggled. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had any trouble with freezing at Conference Championship Week? I've read that if you don't have at least one CCG that it can/does glitch the game up. I feel like I tried this once, but left the Sun Belt as the only CCG to avoid any issues, but it ended up giving them too much credit, so I scrapped it. Any truth to the freeze thing? Have you made it several seasons doing this?

[DonJonpin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tuscaloosa

Had any trouble with freezing at Conference Championship Week? I've read that if you don't have at least one CCG that it can/does glitch the game up. I feel like I tried this once, but left the Sun Belt as the only CCG to avoid any issues, but it ended up giving them too much credit, so I scrapped it. Any truth to the freeze thing? Have you made it several seasons doing this?

No not once didn’t even know that was a thing it’s always smoothly transitioned from regular season straight to bowl season


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