In 1895, the doctrine of “separate but equal” rocked America and became a landmark Supreme Court decision in “Plessy vs. Ferguson.” The concept of segregated schools was ratified. Plessy vs. Ferguson allowed Jim Crow to thrive for almost 60 years. Not until 1954, did the Supreme Court toss the concept of “separate but equal” on its keister.
The expanded Sun Belt conference offers 21st century testimony to “Separate but Equal” not being a viable concept. The ascendance of the Sun Belt has been aided by brilliant expansion selections, as attractive teams have gradually been added to the conference. While App State had always been hell-on-wheels, even in its Division 1-AA heyday, who could imagine that the likes of schools like Coastal Carolina and Louisiana would start big-time flexing of their muscles?
Expansion in 2022 to 14 teams has resulted in 2 7-team divisions. One problem: The power structure is so tilted to the East as to invite comical parody. In addition to App State and Coastal in the East, 2 newbies, Marshall and James Madison have been traditionally successful programs. The East is so strong that a traditional powerhouse, Georgia Southern, is generally picked to reside in 2022’s East cellar.. That Southern has won 6 FCS championships speaks loudly as to its historical pedigree.
Meanwhile, the West is anchored by 3 teams that one could charitably say have less-than-mediocre history in Texas State, Louisiana Monroe and South Alabama. Two others, Troy and Southern Miss, sported traditionally good programs but have fallen on hard times. Arkansas State formerly was the lynchpin of the West, winning 5 Sun Belt titles in 11 years, but limped to 2-10 in 2021 in large measure to a horrific defense. As long as that master of platitudes, Butch Jones, is at the helm, the Odyssey wonders if ASU will regain its former stature.
This fall, we would not be shocked if 6 East teams are better than any in the West. Maybe the Sun Belt should have followed the Pac 12’s recent lead to get rid of divisions. The gauntlet that the East champion must survive will be nothing like the potential walk in the park that the West champ (likely Louisiana) will enjoy.
Meanwhile, the 2 giants of big-time football, the SEC and Big 10, are silent as to their future plans to retain divisions as expansion to 16 members is imminent. One popular theory in the SEC is that a “pod” system will be introduced. Under the pod system, each school would retain 3 annual rivalry games. The six additional conference games would mean that in any four-year period each conference member would play each of the other 12 members twice. The pod system would remedy the current issue is that most teams in the SEC East rarely play teams from the West. Will the SEC expand from 8 to 9 conference games to make this a reality? The Odyssey thinks so, even though one of the SEC’s traditional non-conference creampuff games would have to bite the dust. If the pod system is introduced in either the SEC or Big 10, the current division structure would likely be eliminated.
If only the Sun Belt could blow up its division structure for 2022!