Joined:
10/14/2003
Posts:
30,199
Likes:
22,204
Uneven scheduling isn't a complaint. It's a fact.
And in the PL, uneven schedules don't exist. Manchester City has the same schedule as Bournemouth. Brentford plays the same schedule as Chelsea.
If I had my way, there would be no OOC games. I'd divide the country into SEC states and B1G states (then add the states not in the SEC or the B1G to one of the two P2s). Then, I'd have 30 teams in the Top Tier (15 in the SEC-plus, and 15 in the B1G-plus), Each team gets 14 games, 7 home/7 away. First place teams from each conference play for a one-game national championship. All your opponents play the same schedule. Then do relegation and promotion off the 14-game results.
You also mention that Wisconsin or Nebraska would get relegated from the Big Ten. No, they wouldn't. They would still be in the Big Ten. But if they sucked at football (for example, 0-14 or 1-13, or 2-12 in the Top Tier), they would be down in Tier Two the next year. And some other Big Ten teams would be with them.
Not every tier has to be 30 teams, but if it would be near that, that would make for 4 or 5 "FBS" Tiers. There would be a national championship for each tier.
I know you said that the risk is too great for certain schools to go for this. You are probably correct in assuming this. But that is the heart of the problem. The "risk" is the on-field competition, which, in the end, is what sports is supposed to be about and what also draws viewers.
Side note: Tottenham plays Everton in their last match. If that is a game that Tottenham has to win to survive relegation, the ratings will be MASSIVE.
** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 2/21/2026, 1:19:45 PM
Thread Replies (16)
Just finished reading The Club,about the business of the Premier League
-- PadrosWindup
Feb 20, 2026 at 08:33 AM ET
PadrosWindup
•
02/20/26 08:33 AM ET
A must read for anyone that wants to understand conference realignment.**
-- Baltimore_Hokie
Feb 23, 2026 at 11:36 AM ET
Baltimore_Hokie
•
02/23/26 11:36 AM ET
Just think what we could get rid of if we went an EPL/EFL model
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 20, 2026 at 05:45 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/20/26 05:45 PM ET
Reducing to 20 teams leaves out VT
-- PadrosWindup
Feb 20, 2026 at 09:02 PM ET
PadrosWindup
•
02/20/26 09:02 PM ET
Where are you getting the 20 number for the P2? Saban says 32, same as NFL.
-- Stech
Feb 21, 2026 at 08:06 AM ET
Stech
•
02/21/26 08:06 AM ET
I went with 20 since that is the EPL number. Maroon Baboons scheduling
-- PadrosWindup
Feb 21, 2026 at 11:30 AM ET
PadrosWindup
•
02/21/26 11:30 AM ET
I think if there is a P1, it should be 48, but Saban saying it repeatedly
-- Stech
Feb 21, 2026 at 02:22 PM ET
Stech
•
02/21/26 02:22 PM ET
To show you the folly of making a permanent 32 (or 48),
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 21, 2026 at 02:55 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/21/26 02:55 PM ET
I don’t want the P1, but if they do relegation and promotion it would help,
-- Stech
Feb 22, 2026 at 08:36 AM ET
Stech
•
02/22/26 08:36 AM ET
What two conferences might look like in a "P1" relegation-promotion model.
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 23, 2026 at 12:34 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/23/26 12:34 PM ET
If there is ever a mythical P1, it
-- Big12 guy
Feb 23, 2026 at 02:23 PM ET
Big12 guy
•
02/23/26 02:23 PM ET
Trust me, I would be more than willing to run it back.
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 23, 2026 at 02:45 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/23/26 02:45 PM ET
Uneven scheduling isn't a complaint. It's a fact.
◄
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 21, 2026 at 12:57 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/21/26 12:57 PM ET
I would lobby for a 24 team playoff with
-- Big12 guy
Feb 21, 2026 at 09:35 AM ET
Big12 guy
•
02/21/26 09:35 AM ET
Two major omissions in your post.
-- Maroon Baboon
Feb 20, 2026 at 11:19 PM ET
Maroon Baboon
•
02/20/26 11:19 PM ET
Relegation is an anachronism. No new leagues will sign on to it.
-- PadrosWindup
Feb 21, 2026 at 10:37 AM ET
PadrosWindup
•
02/21/26 10:37 AM ET
“Supposedly this Greg Sankey's #1 book.” Why people should read your post
-- Stech
Feb 20, 2026 at 11:15 AM ET
Stech
•
02/20/26 11:15 AM ET