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For a maximum of what, like, 1 cross-divisional game? 

That's not even the same conference anymore. 

Need to figure out some sort of pod system such as what's been proposed in the SEC if the networks pony up for the extra conference game and the league goes to 9 games. 

Or are you suggesting the B1G go to 10+ conference games?  

10 conference games, yes.

We've had this discussion before and I remain adamantly opposed to 10 conference games.  I would much rather see a 10th game scheduled by the league but against another league in something similar to the old B1G/ACC Challenge in BB.  

I think that with this many teams some sort of divisional structure will be necessary because the schedules will vary too greatly.  With 18 teams:

• 10 game schedule, you still miss 7
• 9 game schedule you miss 8
• 8 game schedule you miss 9

The thing is that I think 18 is too many for divisions because:

For a maximum of what, like, 1 cross-divisional game? 

That's not even the same conference anymore. 

Need to figure out some sort of pod system such as what's been proposed in the SEC if the networks pony up for the extra conference game and the league goes to 9 games. 

Or are you suggesting the B1G go to 10+ conference games? 

If you have eight divisional games then you have only one or two non-divisional games.  

The problem is that 18 is not divisible by four so you can't make four equal pods.  

What I think would be workable and fun with 20 teams would be:

• Four pods of five teams each.  
• Nine game league schedule but you only announce eight.  The eight are the other four in your pod and four other games.  
• Ninth game for each team is against whatever pod you are paired with 1vs1, 2vs2, 3vs3, 4vs4, 5vs5.  
• The two 1vs1 one games are effectively Conference semi-finals with the winners meeting in the CG.  

The final weekend would basically all be competitive games.  If you win your pod, you play another pod winner.  If you are last in your pod, you play another bottom-feeder.  If you are struggling for bowl eligibility, you'll play another team that is probably borderline bowl eligible.  

The above actually makes more sense with 24 teams:

• Four pods of six teams each.  
• Nine game league schedule but you only announce eight.  The eight are the other five in your pod and one from each of the other three pods.  
• Ninth game for each team is against whatever pod you are paid with 1vs1 . . . 6vs6.  
• The two 1vs1 games are effectively Conference semi-finals with the winners meeting in the CG.  

Tie breaker criteria for ccg participants is mind numbing when you have no divisions and that's just w 12 participants .  W 18 it will be insane 

I like a radical plan of changing divisions annually or every two years. 

This isn't a conference anymore.  It's a media network conglomerate.

It's a fun thought process to come up with divisions or pods but I think it's hard to beat the division-less flex protect plan put together by the Big Ten. 

With that said, if they were forced for some reason to go with divisions, how about this

West division (4). - USC, UCLA, Ore, Wash

North division (5). -  Neb, Iowa, Minn, Wisc, NW

South division (5) - ILL, PUR, Ind,  Mich, MSU

East division (4) -  Rut,  MD, PSU, OSU

This isn't a conference anymore.  It's a media network conglomerate.

That's not even the same conference anymore. 

Ed zachery - it's too big to play every other program on a regular basis

2 divisions of 9 teams each - 9 conference games - pick your one cross over
play everyone in your division every season and develop good old fashioned rivalries - almost regional with east-west
it's 2 conferences with a playoff in December

if USC steps up and wins the division they can play one of the big 3 from the east every season in the Champ game in December

we've all known that money is eventually going to ruin college football if it hasn't already