I can agree with LSUSMC and others in that I am not in favor of expanding the SEC either.  6 divisional rivals and 3 inter-divisional games lends cohesiveness to the conference.  Expanding to 16 teams would either eliminate 2 OOC games or cut back inter-divisional games.  Neither of these options, Imo, would benefit the conference.  Furthermore, 5 or 6 "super-conferences" of 16 teams does not address the legitimate arguments against the BCS arrangement.  Case in point, teams that are not in a 16 team super-conference that have superior records against inferior teams(insert Boise State, TCU here) would/could continue to have legitimate arguments against the current style arrangement.  In my opinion, the arguments against the BCS arrangement are compelling.  (Yes, I am aware that TCU has taken steps to eliminate this problem.  But what about other teams that may accomplish the samething such as an SMU?)

GoPokes has a well thought out alignment but it doesn't address the issues of NCAA participants that have limited or no access to the BCS(insert SunBelt conference here).  The lawsuits are going to start piling up.  The winds of change are blowing strong across the NCAA landscape.  Additionally, and I will state this as a fact, Arkansas will never be compelled to join a conference that includes Texas.  That lesson, the same one the Big 12 is now learning, will never have to be repeated by Arkansas.


So, assuming we are moving toward all teams having a legitimate chance to play for the national championship, then there will be a play-off system.  My suggestion was that the SEC move in a fashion that will command TV markets across the southern United States.  Allow me to further elaborate on that alignment.


The SOUTHEASTERN  CONFERENCE(or any other acceptable name) could be made up of 2 Regions.  Call them the Big 12 region and the Southeastern region if you like.  Each region would have 2 divisions.  There would almost certainly have to be 2 regional championship games, say in Atlanta and Dallas, leading up to the conference championship game, say in Nashville. Or alternate championship games with large TV market cities).  Each division would play 5 divisional games and 2 interdivisional games with the possibility of playing a Regional championship and a Conference championship game.  That leaves enough room for 3 OOC games.  The conference champion could play as many as 3 more games in an 8 team national play-off for a total of up to 15 games for the national champion and runner-up.


SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE:


Southeast Region:


Division 1:  Florida, Georgia, SCarolina, Florida State, GATECH, Clemson. 

Division 2: Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Louisville.



Big 12 Region:


Division 3: LSU, Ole Miss, MissSt, TexasAM, TexasTech, Baylor.   


Division 4: Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, KansasST, Oklahoma, OklahomaST.   



The current Big 12(less Texas and ISU) and the SEC would work out a super-merger consisting of 2 regions that basically act as 2 conferences under the umbrella of a super-conference that could negotiate TV contracts and/or seperate conference networks.  

If the change comes, the majority of the Big12 conference and the SEC conference will have positioned itself into a mutually beneficial(if not downright lucrative) and highly competitive position to the (equal!) benefit of all member institutions.
     
      
;   

e2_brutus - I like your idea - I just don't think it's probable unless you can find a way to share money in such as a way that the teams in the respective conferences in the new conference get just as much money or more than what they are currently getting.  Again, as I stated with my many posts before, A&M would be literally out of business at the sport level if not for the money they obtained from the rest of the conference doing so well during football season and sharing the funds.  I just don't know how the funds could be distributed as lucratively with so many divisions with so many members..... maybe a big-time network could be established?  I also don't know how you could send THAT many teams to a good chunk of the bowl games when they are all from the same conference.

Here is what my suggestion is:
NEW SEC:
Texas A&M (Added to West Division) 
Florida State (Added to East Division)  - Florida State is added because they are rivals with Florida and to keep the number an even 14.
The remaining teams in the conference remain unchanged.

New Big 12: (The division alignment can be altered multiple ways)
North Division:
Missouri
Kansas
Kansas State
Iowa State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State

South Division:
Texas
Baylor
Texas Tech 
Vacancy #1
Vacancy #2
Vacancy #3  

Thos Considered for the 3 Vacancies: 
Texas Christian (TCU - if we can break them away from Big East)
Houston (This program is on the rise - if we can convince them to invest heavily in football they are good choice because they already are very popular in the Houston area and fun to watch.
SMU  (If we can get promises that they will improve the strengths of their programs, do stadium renovations, etc.  SMU was a super powerhouse program up until they were given the death penalty the late 80's. 
Southern Mississippi (This program is pretty strong but with some investments they might cut into the some the available talent from the SEC areas)
Arkansas (They have done fairly well in the SEC since 1995 but they might be convinced to leave with the belief that since they were in the SEC they may dominate in the Big 12)
Georgia Tech: (They may consider movement because they can't beat VT but might be successful against the Big 12 foes)
North Texas:  (This program has been on the rise ever since they climbed to the FBS a few years ago - they have had moderate success but maybe they could amplify that success by becoming a member of the Big 12)

All of the schools listed above are big enough to be a part of the Big 12 (have enough enrollment) so enrollment is not an issue - the biggest issue associated with adding teams to the remaining Big 12 is the competition level.  Of the teams I suggested above the only ones that I think would be successful immediately in the Big 12 are TCU, Arkansas, GA Tech, and maybe (but not likely) Southern Miss.  Also, a lot of these teams play in small or very old stadiums that would need upgrades in order to handle a Big 12 crowd with exception to TCU, Akansas, GA Tech, and SMU.  Of all of the teams listed as suggested additions to the Big 12 all of the stadiums would need serious renovations to be Big 12 caliber with exception to Arkansas and GA Tech whose stadiums are just fine as they are.  
 
That's just my take on the situation.  As far as I am concerned Texas A&M can take a leap along with Nebraska and Colorado for jumping ship costing the remaining Big 12 members major money because we can no longer host a conference championship game.  TAM leaving would not change the situation because only the loss of one of those teams would have resulted in the loss of a conference championship game.  At this point the most important thing the Big 12 can do is let those who must leave go (TAM) and then immediately begin work on filling the 3 vacancies in the conference so that we get back a championship game and the money associated with it.  Once much needed new teams are added to the conference the divisions can be juggled as needed to make them more competitive or so that they make sense geographically to minimize travel costs when possible.

I can't even begin to imagine the heartburn that Dan Beebe must be going through right now - a little over a year ago he managed to keep the conference together but because TAM can't play nice with Texas the conference may just fold all together with several of the smaller and less prominant schools panicking because they don't know how they will survive athletically if the conference falls apart.  I don't see the conference falling apart but I do see major work being needed to keep the conference together and then major work needed to enhance the conference back to the point it was two years ago (or better if possible).   

While I am not in favor of enlarging the SEC, I see no reason the in-state rivalries would have to be broken up.  Just add equal teams for and from the East and West, and there you go.  Now, if they go and take four teams from the Big 12, then that is another situation.  We do have permanent foes from the other division in the SEC, so something could always get worked out if necessary.  I just hope it is not necessary.

In my opinion, a 16 team SEC wouldn't work.
It would, in effect, break up longstanding in-state rivalries which are the
heart of college football. I see where, with 16 teams, either Ole Miss and MSU
are put in different divisions, or Auburn and Alabama are put in different
divisions. If the SEC expands beyond 12 teams, then it should go ahead and
attempt a 24 team "super" conference with 4 different 6 team
divisions. My guess would be that it should wind up something like:


Division1: Florida, Georgia, SCarolina, and add natural
rivalries Florida State, Georgia Tech and Clemson.


Division2: Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee,
Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and add Louisville.


Division3: LSU, Ole Miss, MissState, and add TexasAM,
TexasTech and Baylor.


Division4: Arkansas, and add Missouri, Kansas, Kansas
State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.


Eventually, there would end up being 5 "super" conferences that are
made up of 120 teams. 5 conference champions and 3 at-large teams would make
for an 8 team playoff for the national title. 120 conference teams and up to 3
independents each have a shot at the national championship and the championship
is undisputed.

16 team super conferences have some intrigue

1- each school has 7 games vs their division foes
2- each school could play 2 teams from the other division and rotate them to play them all over a few years
    or play 3 so each school has 5 h and 5 a games
3- with the 9-10 games above that leaves 2-3 OOC games to schedule and still leaves some room to negotiate a decent super conference h&h  and 1-2 cup cake pad the stats or checkbook however you see it.

BTW

remember the good old days when teams played who ever and didnt worry about 2 losses??

if...

if everybody plays a comparable schedule
if every body play a cup cake
if everybody has a conference championship game

etc etc etc

if your team ends up 10-2, like LSU last year, it is easier to swallow not going to a BCS game because LSU fans knew the gauntlet that Aub and Ark faced was the same.

When USC and LSU have the same record and USC played ND or someone like that, we understand that.

When Tex and LSU have the same record and Tex played tOSU we understand

+++

JMO

if they end up with 4-5 super conferences and make some sort of plan to "equalize" schedules and MAKE cross conference games a reality  THAT WILL BE the ULTIMATE for college football...