Divisional play

[JayJ79]

With the Big Sky and MVFC conferences adding members, and likely splitting into two "divisions", it has created lots of speculation on how things will break down, and how future conference scheduling will be set up.

With the MVFC going to 10 teams, I suppose it could be possible that they would maintain round-robin scheduling, but having 9 conference games only leaves room for 2 non-conference games in most years (exception being those relatively rare 12-game seasons), and most people think that there will be two 5-team divisions, where a team will play their 4 division-mates every year, and probably 3 or 4 of the 5 teams from the other division.

There has also been the assumption by some that certain "rivalry games" will be "protected" (played every year) even though they are cross-divisional. However, I'm not sure that that will necessarily be the case.
Does the CAA currently have such "protected" cross-divisional rivalries? Or is it a pure rotational basis?


Also, another thing to keep in mind is this little clause in the NCAA football playoff handbook:

[in order to be eligible for an Automatic Playoff Qualifier] Conferences must conduct regular-season, round-robin play among the members to determine the champion. The Division I football committee may grant exceptions to the round-robin requirement subject to approval of the NCAA Executive Committee.

I'm guessing the committee has granted such an exception to the CAA, and if so, I don't see why they wouldn't also do the same for the Big Sky and the MVFC if they went to divisional setups. But it isn't something that should be overlooked.

[MSUBear42]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

[JayJ79]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

that would be another way of doing it. (similar to how the Big Ten/11 has their conference play set up)

of course, that would still require an exception from the committee in order to maintain the AQ, since it isn't true round-robin play.

[JayJ79]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

The only things that make me doubt that are the reports of certain schools (Indiana State, SIU, and possibly YSU and MSU) being promised that they'll only ever have to make one trip to the Dakotas each season.

Not sure how that would work without the divisional setup.

[MSUBear42]

I think the only two schools 'promised' that were YSU and SIU?

[S F State Gaters]

The division question is very interesting for the Big Sky because they haven't completed their expansion yet all the way and they're expecting montana to go to the wac any time now, so it will probably have to be transitional for a time

[JayJ79]

I think the only two schools 'promised' that were YSU and SIU?

tough to seperate the facts from the rumors at this point. but this is what I saw:

http://tribstar.com/breakingnews/x10412 ... -join-MVFC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(an article in Terre Haute's newspaper)

[Indiana State] played a role in how USD will be assimilated into the league thanks to budgetary concerns about travel costs.

The addition of NDSU and SDSU to the MVFC in 2006 was contentious in that it added a flight to football travel costs. MVFC teams typically travel by bus for conference games, flying an entire football team and its staff is significantly more expensive.

According to Prettyman, ISU agreed to vote for USD membership in the conference on the condition that ISU will only make one trip to any of the three Dakota schools per year. This provision will also be in place for Southern Illinois, which expressed similar concerns.

[Thumper 76]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

Why won't it be? Just cause you would be in the toughest side and be perenially at the bottom doesn't mean it won't happen.

[SuperHornet]

With the Big Sky and MVFC conferences adding members, and likely splitting into two "divisions", it has created lots of speculation on how things will break down, and how future conference scheduling will be set up.

Likely?!? Haven't you been paying attention? Fullerton's already announced NO divisions.

The division question is very interesting for the Big Sky because they haven't completed their expansion yet all the way and they're expecting montana to go to the wac any time now, so it will probably have to be transitional for a time.

Big Sky expansion isn't done? What else can the Sky do short of D-II callups? FBS dropdowns are hardly likely.

[TribeFanInNC]

Does the CAA currently have such "protected" cross-divisional rivalries? Or is it a pure rotational basis?

With the old North/South divisions, the traditional rivalries were kept intact within the divisions (e.g. between the Virginia schools, and between the legacy Yankee Conference teams). I don't believe a decision has been made for the new divisional setup when ODU and GaSt join in the next two years. Potential departures that have been discussed here endlessly over the last year may make such decisions irrelevant.

[JayJ79]

Likely?!? Haven't you been paying attention? Fullerton's already announced NO divisions.

nope, haven't paid that much attention to the Big Sky shuffle.

Divisions or not, it will no longer be round-robin conference competition.

[SuperHornet]

Likely?!? Haven't you been paying attention? Fullerton's already announced NO divisions.

nope, haven't paid that much attention to the Big Sky shuffle.

Divisions or not, it will no longer be round-robin conference competition.

That's true. There's already been speculation about how that will go. The different possibilities boggle the mind.

[MSUBear42]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

Why won't it be? Just cause you would be in the toughest side and be perenially at the bottom doesn't mean it won't happen.

Does the "you" in that sentence = MSU?

[tribe_pride]

Does the CAA currently have such "protected" cross-divisional rivalries? Or is it a pure rotational basis?

With the old North/South divisions, the traditional rivalries were kept intact within the divisions (e.g. between the Virginia schools, and between the legacy Yankee Conference teams). I don't believe a decision has been made for the new divisional setup when ODU and GaSt join in the next two years. Potential departures that have been discussed here endlessly over the last year may make such decisions irrelevant.

And between North and South, years 1 and 2, a team would play teams A, B, and C from the other division (1 year home, the other away) and then years 3 and 4, the team would play teams D, E, and F from the other division (1 year home, the other away)

[Thumper 76]

Why won't it be? Just cause you would be in the toughest side and be perenially at the bottom doesn't mean it won't happen.

Does the "you" in that sentence = MSU?

Yes.

[DJH]

MVFC won't be splitting into divisions.

They will stay as one league and keep the 8 game league schedule with each team rotating not playing 1 team every year.

Why won't it be? Just cause you would be in the toughest side and be perenially at the bottom doesn't mean it won't happen.

And thats exactly why they wont do it. If they split the divisions, all the DII transition teams would have to be in one division, and all the traditional powers would have to be in the other division.

You can't have a divisonal split where one division is responsible for 95% of your conferences past playoff appearances.

[JayJ79]

And thats exactly why they wont do it. If they split the divisions, all the DII transition teams would have to be in one division, and all the traditional powers would have to be in the other division.

You can't have a divisonal split where one division is responsible for 95% of your conferences past playoff appearances.

You don't consider UNI to be a traditional power? Because if the MVFC split, UNI would be in the west division with the Dakotas.

Besides, NDSU and SDSU are no longer "transitional", and USD will be a full D-I FCS member by the time they join the conference as well.

But if you still consider all of them to be "DII transition teams", then the only MVFC team that doesn't fall under that category is SIU.

[Thumper 76]

Why won't it be? Just cause you would be in the toughest side and be perenially at the bottom doesn't mean it won't happen.

And thats exactly why they wont do it. If they split the divisions, all the DII transition teams would have to be in one division, and all the traditional powers would have to be in the other division.

You can't have a divisonal split where one division is responsible for 95% of your conferences past playoff appearances.

Why can't it be USD, SDSU, NDSU, UNI, and MSU in one division? SDSU and NDSU aren't transitionals anymore, so I don't understand what your point is?

[DJH]

And thats exactly why they wont do it. If they split the divisions, all the DII transition teams would have to be in one division, and all the traditional powers would have to be in the other division.

You can't have a divisonal split where one division is responsible for 95% of your conferences past playoff appearances.

Why can't it be USD, SDSU, NDSU, UNI, and MSU in one division? SDSU and NDSU aren't transitionals anymore, so I don't understand what your point is?

Guys, I don't mean that those schools are still "transitional" teams. I mean they are still new DI members that have zero playoff success.

I'm sure YSU, SIU, and Ill St etc would all be thrilled that UNI would get to be in a division where they are the only school to have won a playoff game in the last 25 years...

[MSUDuo]

Why can't it be USD, SDSU, NDSU, UNI, and MSU in one division? SDSU and NDSU aren't transitionals anymore, so I don't understand what your point is?

Guys, I don't mean that those schools are still "transitional" teams. I mean they are still new DI members that have zero playoff success.

I'm sure YSU, SIU, and Ill St etc would all be thrilled that UNI would get to be in a division where they are the only school to have won a playoff game in the last 25 years...

Missouri State has won a playoff game in the last 25 years!!!

W/E
UNI/SIU
SDSU/YSU
NSDU/WIU
MSU/ISUr
USD/ISUb

That wouldn't be uneven.

But divisions aren't happening it seems, so it is a moot point

[JayJ79]

Guys, I don't mean that those schools are still "transitional" teams. I mean they are still new DI members that have zero playoff success.

I'm sure YSU, SIU, and Ill St etc would all be thrilled that UNI would get to be in a division where they are the only school to have won a playoff game in the last 25 years...

well, MSU did win a playoff game in 1989....

Frankly, the divisional breakdown doesn't make that much of a difference.
A simple rotating schedule means that you don't play a certain team once every 9 years (or twice every 18 years if they rotate on a two year basis to do a home/away with each team).

With divisions (playing the 4 division-mates every year, and 4 of 5 cross-divisional teams) you don't play a certain cross-divisional team once every 5 years (or twice every 10).

Besides, it is those "traditional powers" that are complaining so much about having to travel to the Dakotas. So they would be in favor of the divisional arrangement anyway.