Conference Championship Games

[WVAPPeer]

Play the game at the dome in Atlanta.

maybe 5k in attendance ---

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Play the game at the dome in Atlanta.

The SEC has the Georgia Dome on lock for Championship Week.

[JTApps1]

App. Ark St
CCU. ULM
GS. ULL
GA St. Texas St.
Troy. USA

I'd like to see a permanent partner setup.

This would be a great way to ensure some rivalries across the divisions.

Agree that if we have a CCG it HAS to be at someones home field.

[Gonzo]

SBC Championship Game Trailer:

http://sunbeltsports.org/splash.aspx?id=splash_34

[TheMoody1]

Appalachian State Head Football Coach Scott Satterfield
"It's exciting to know that we'll join the other nine FBS conferences in holding a championship game. The first weekend of December has truly become ‘championship weekend’ in college football. To be able to participate in such a great event is something that coaches, student-athletes and fans will all embrace."

Appalachian State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin
"One of our core values as an athletics department at Appalachian State is to provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes. By joining the rest of FBS in holding a conference championship game, every Sun Belt football student-athlete will compete for the opportunity to be a part of the title-game experience. This is a great step for the Sun Belt Conference."

[EastHallApp]

So championship game is confirmed for 2018, but no decision yet on site (probably on campus, according to Benson) or 8 vs. 9 game conference schedule.

Pretty much has to be 8 games and divisions, though, right?

[bigCasu]

So championship game is confirmed for 2018, but no decision yet on site (probably on campus, according to Benson) or 8 vs. 9 game conference schedule.

Pretty much has to be 8 games and divisions, though, right?

It doesn't have to be, but if its not it has to be a 9 game schedule. I don't like the way scheduling would work with a 9 game conference schedule. Leaves you 3 OOC, and you'll have some years with 5 home games, and others with 6 homes games. I think balance is key here for scheduling, but divisions may not work out best for the championship game if it includes a 5-3 team playing a 8-0 team in conference play, while a 6-2 or 7-1 team gets to sit at home, assuming division winners would meet in title game.

[Gonzo]

That's the trade off every conference has to balance. You're going to either have the problem of playing a team twice in a single season or the problem of leaving a team with a better record out of the championship game. Divisions is more appealing to me. There's an 88% the teams in the championship are meeting for the second time under a no divisions model. Under a divisions system the likelihood of better records getting left out isn't that bad.

A division system saves valuable travel costs as well.

[ASUGoose]

A division system saves valuable travel costs as well.

I believe this is the biggest driving factor of why it will end up being two divisions. I can remember from day one when we entered the conference that Benson wanted CCG on campus and goal is regional rivalries to help reduce travel costs and increase fan attendance.

[AppDawg]

That's the trade off every conference has to balance. You're going to either have the problem of playing a team twice in a single season or the problem of leaving a team with a better record out of the championship game. Divisions is more appealing to me. There's an 88% the teams in the championship are meeting for the second time under a no divisions model. Under a divisions system the likelihood of better records getting left out isn't that bad.

A division system saves valuable travel costs as well.

This is the nitpicky accountant in me gonz, but I believe under a no division scenario it would be a 100% chance of a rematch.

Overall though, I agree. Divisions are the way to go. I also agree with Saint a permanent cross-division rival should be designed for each team.

[EastHallApp]

Seems to be the consensus that financially, a nine-game schedule just doesn't work for Sun Belt schools because they can't afford to lose the potential home game.

But also, just from a competitive standpoint, what's the point of a conference championship game if you've already played a full round robin?

[Saint3333]

That's the trade off every conference has to balance. You're going to either have the problem of playing a team twice in a single season or the problem of leaving a team with a better record out of the championship game. Divisions is more appealing to me. There's an 88% the teams in the championship are meeting for the second time under a no divisions model. Under a divisions system the likelihood of better records getting left out isn't that bad.

A division system saves valuable travel costs as well.

This is the nitpicky accountant in me gonz, but I believe under a no division scenario it would be a 100% chance of a rematch.

Overall though, I agree. Divisions are the way to go. I also agree with Saint a permanent cross-division rival should be designed for each team.

100% would only be true if you played everyone in conference, as each team only plays 89% of the members.

The permanent cross division partner will be necessary if they want USA and Troy to play each year which makes sense.

[JTApps1]

The majority will vote for an 8 game conference schedule, but I could see GS being one to vote for 9 since they have such a hard time getting OOC games. In the end we should have 8 games.

[EastHallApp]

The majority will vote for an 8 game conference schedule, but I could see GS being one to vote for 9 since they have such a hard time getting OOC games. In the end we should have 8 games.

Well, they have a hard time getting OOC *home* games. Or at least, that's their story. In reality I think they just need the cash from playing multiple P5 money games every year. Which, if anything, would probably make them more likely to support an eight-game schedule - they need every cash-grab opportunity they can get.

[Saint3333]

I think GS is changing their scheduling habits starting in 2018 they start playing one top 20 program, one FCS program, one G5 at home, and one G5 on the road. I'd like to see 4 OOC games and we limit the number of one and down P5 games to 5 every 4 years and 2 FCS games every 4 years.

Funny we don't have any P5 payday type games on the schedule past 2018. Any rumors out there?

[EastHallApp]

I think GS is changing their scheduling habits starting in 2018 they start playing one top 20 program, one FCS program, one G5 at home, and one G5 on the road.

Remains to be seen if that's a trend or a one-year situation. They're set for 2018 but only have a couple games scheduled for '19 (Kent State, @ LSU) and nothing beyond that.

Also their G5 H&H's are UMass and Kent State. Have fun leading off the season ticket sales pitch with that.