ACC divisions for football

[Stern]

Um they are split now.

split at 12 is different than being split at 14 or 16. At 12 they still play each other twice a year in hoops. They aren't gonna give that up

 

[Scooch]

There's no way to have a sensical hoops schedule with two 7 team divisions (6x2 + 7 = 19 conference games). So I suspect they'll only have divisions for football and just lineup 1 to 14 for hoops.

I figure SU and Pitt will get placed in the existing division framework. I'm rooting for Coastal because I'd love to get Miami and VaTech back on the annual schedule. And play BC as our cross-division rival. Who does BC play now in that role?

 

[SmilinBob]

Virginia Tech is like an annoying kid at Toys R Us.

I'm fine with where ever SU goes as long as we play BC, Pitt and Maryland each year. I'd also hope football wise that they break up the schedule so we aren't playing at GT, FSU, and Miami in the same year. If it can be worked out to play each one once at their place each year that would work out better for travel for those who do travel with the Orange.

 

[omniorange]

There's no way to have a sensical hoops schedule with two 7 team divisions (6x2 + 7 = 19 conference games). So I suspect they'll only have divisions for football and just lineup 1 to 14 for hoops.

I figure SU and Pitt will get placed in the existing division framework. I'm rooting for Coastal because I'd love to get Miami and VaTech back on the annual schedule. And play BC as our cross-division rival. Who does BC play now in that role?

VT is their cross-divisional rival currently.

An analysis was done about the current divisional set-ups by a Pitt fan I believe and it turned out that in terms of games played:

against current Coastal teams: Pitt - 79 and SU - 54
against current Atlantic teams: SU - 94 and Pitt - 52

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Alsacs]

The ACC isn't going to blow-up its current divisional format unless they go to 16 teams. Based on Omni's statement about current games versus each division SU is likely to be placed in the Atlantic and Pitt in the Coastal. Pitt would then likely become our annual cross-over game, and would get Florida State and Clemson once every other year at the Dome.

However, I believe the better division for Syracuse is the Coastal. We have history with Virginia Tech, and Miami. Virginia and North Carolina aren't world beaters, and Duke would be an easy win most years. Only Georgia Tech's option would be hard to stop every year. We could compete more in the Coastal than the Atlantic.
This is how I would make the divisions
Atlantic
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Pittsburgh
Wake Forest
Coastal
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
Syracuse
Virginia
Virginia Tech

The protected rivalries would all remain the same except VPI-BC becomes BC-SU, and VPI-Pitt
Duke-Wake
UNC-NCSU
Ga Tech-Clemson
Miami-FSU
UVA-UMD
VPI-Pitt
SU-BC

This whole North-South split isn't going to happen till there are 16 teams then it would make sense.
For Basketball in the 14 team ACC each team will have 2 protected rivals they are guaranteed home/home with.
SU- Pitt/BC
BC- SU/Miami
VPI- UVA/Pitt
Pitt- SU/VPI
Duke- UMD/UNC
UNC- Duke/NCSU
UVA- VPI/UMD
FSU- Miami/Clemson
Wake-Ga Tech/NCSU
Ga Tech- Clemson/Wake
UMD-Duke/UVA
Clemson- Ga Tech/FSU
NCSU- UNC/Wake
Miami- FSU/BC
Tinker with these if you think there are better ones for any teams I just based it on what I know the ACC does now.

 

[All4SU]

#2 - For the reason stated above. But my personal preference would be to swap out UVA for GTech.

 

[Chip]

I want to be crossover with UNC, just because I know it will drive you crazy.

 

[WoadBlue]

-----------------------

Good post. What division would you prefer?

Hope the ACC goes to 9 conference games a year, to make the teams feel they are part of a conference rather than primarily part of a division.

Adding SU and Pitt is a great way for the ACC to consolidate their footprint, bridging UMD and BC, adding to the BB competition, giving Miami the northeast exposure it originally was hoping for, and with Pitt, adding to the football quality of the conference.

I also expect this will be a major positive in helping SU become very competitive in football again.

I think we will play 9 league games - it will help forge new rivalries and keep the money in-league.

#2 would be best in many ways, but I don't think that is what we'll get. I think the league office and most ADs want the divisions mixed geographically to try to interest as many people as possible in all games. I think either we get divisions we have now with Pitt in one and Cuse in the other, or we get those divisions with 1 trade. If they want to try to maximize Miami's northern TV fan base, which is from NYC to Philly, they may decide to place Cuse in the Coastal and swap GT for Maryland. As FSU and GT want to play annually, the trade should please them.

As for basketball, I hope we get 3 annual Home-Away rivalries. I think the ACC needs Cuse to play BC, Pitt, and Maryland Home-Away ever year. That, with Pitt also playing Maryland Home-Away annually, would best bring northern residing fans of the BE over to the ACC.

 

[WoadBlue]

#2.

We have history with BC, Miami, Maryland, and VT.

#3 also would have Syracuse playing all 4 annually.

 

[SU2NASA]

SU, BC, UMd, UVa, UM, VT, Pitt

VT, WF, NCSU, FSU, GT, UNC, Duke

It's pretty much the way it has to be. If VT doesn't want in the same division, don't separate the NC schools, you have to keep Miami and FSU in different divisions, so that leaves GT as the only one to trade and that just doesn't make sense.

or... if you just add SU and Pitt to the current divisions

SU in the Atlantic, Pitt in the Coastal

 

[SaltineWarrior]

#2. Best balance of north/south split, traditional rivals and balance of power. If they filled in 2 other northern teams, take those two and put Miami in the southern division and leave it at that.

 

[SWC75]

I'd prefer the North-South split. But here's a suggestion I was going to make in 2003 and I'll make it again now in case they don't go for that. How about ranking the schools 1-14 in each sport based on what they did the previous year and having an "odd" (#1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11, #13) division and an "even" division, (#2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12 and #14) just for that year. You'd play the six teams in your divsion onces in football and twice in basketball and you'd play two of the other divison's team's in football and four of them in basketball, (or you could play two of them home and home in basketball). That way the competitive balance of the conference could be consisitent.

 

[Stern]

I'd prefer the North-South split. But here's a suggestion I was going to make in 2003 and I'll make it again now in case they don't go for that. How about ranking the schools 1-14 in each sport based on what they did the previous year and having an "odd" (#1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11, #13) division and an "even" division, (#2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12 and #14) just for that year. You'd play the six teams in your divsion onces in football and twice in basketball and you'd play two of the other divison's team's in football and four of them in basketball, (or you could play two of them home and home in basketball). That way the competitive balance of the conference could be consisitent.

Not a fan of that

 

[SWC75]

Not a fan of that

What don't you like about it?

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

The only two things I'd like as prerequisites. I don't want to see a straight up North South split. Especially if we still end up with familiar teams as the 15 and 16. While it makes a whole lot of sense geographically and talent-wise, I don't think it sets a good standard as one central league.

Secondly, I don't want to get stuck with BC as our designated "rival." Just don't see much upside there, in either sport.

 

[Stern]

What don't you like about it?

The constant shuffling of teams would be annoying and tough to follow. And I think it would turn off a lot of "casual" sports fans. Plus ticket holders, season ticket holders, like to have an idea of who is coming every year and what they are paying for. That was the biggest complaint with the Big East in recent years for hoops. Who's coming this year? People like to know.

 

[Moontan]

Secondly, I don't want to get stuck with BC as our designated "rival."

Huh?

BC is our rival. These are the only two north eastern private schools that have FBS teams.

The two schools clearly see it that way, as they arranged for a long-term, season-ending, series of games. I believe they will push to retain that arrangement within the ACC. It's the right thing to do.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Between BC and Pitt, I'd expect one to be in our division and the other to be our "rival". On the field, it's a wash since we'd play each one every year. Standings-wise, I'd prefer BC to be in our division as I expect Pitt to generally have a better record in other conference games.

That solution would also be the least disruptive to the ACC - put one of each of us in each existing divisions and all current teams keep their current rivalries.

I assume that we have a better rivalry with BC than Pitt that would justify putting us in their division instead of the Panthers, but am not positive on that. Pitt might be able to say the same thing about Maryland though, plus you'd be adding the currently stronger team to the currently stronger division. Are any Pitt fans lurking or has anyone seen what their consensus is?