fighting muskie wrote:
For basketball scheduling purposes, should the ACC stay where they are now, the should go with a 3 pod system:
Pod 1 (North)--Boston College, Syracuse, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame
Pod 2 (Central)--Virginia, North Carolina, NC St, Duke, Wake Forest
Pod 3 (South)--Louisville, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida St, Miami
Play everyone is your pod twice (8 games) and everyone else once (10 games) for an 18 game conference schedule.
Posted September 13 on ACC thread, page 33 Switch Louisville for Maryland and the same applies as long as no more schools leave which I do not believe will be the case.There is also no need for the ACC to add a 16th non football school for scheduling purposes. Let's examine what an 18 game basketball schedule could look like with only 15 teams. FRESNO is right on with the 3 divisions of 5 idea.
I'd would split into 3 divisions of 5 for scheduling only. No need for 3 divisions for standings. Divisions are split geographically (helps travel wise). Virginia would rather be tied with UNC than Virginia Tech for basketball but may have to switch Virginia and Clemson for other sports.
Atlantic- Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pitt, BC, Maryland
Coastal- UNC, Duke, NC State, Wake, Virginia (Clemson)
Football- FSU, Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Clemson (Virginia)
Here's your 18 game schedule. Play everyone in your division home and home, play one of the 2 divisions on the road, the other division at home. Rotate divisions every other year.
The only reason to add a 16th team would be when the Irish joins for football. If the the ACC changes their plans of a 9 game conference schedule to an 8 game conference schedule then they don't even have to add the 16 team. An 8 game conference schedule would be Notre Dame's preference. I believe that the Irish's new contract with NBC will expire the same time as the ACC's, then the Irish will join for football.
For football, take the same 3 divisions as above. You play everyone in your division annually and then play 2 teams from the other 2 divisions. ACC championship game would be played by the 2 highest ranked division champions.
Don't get me wrong, my preference would be to add a 16th team if and only when Notre Dame joins for football. I think Rutgers and the NJ market would make the ACC the most money at that point.
Guess the B1G agreed with me on Rutgers.