A conference was expanding and splitting into divisions, and nobody knew what would happen to its two most bitter football rivals. Would they stay in the same division or be split apart?
No, this isn’t a tale about Michigan and Ohio State. It’s about Alabama and Auburn, which could have ended up in different divisions if the Tigers had gotten their preference.
“Tennessee was a big game for Auburn, and Georgia of course is a natural rivalry,” former Auburn coach Pat Dye said. “We would have had three big games, with Florida, Georgia and Tennessee every year – and then Alabama.”
Instead, the Tigers went to the SEC West, a move that worked out fine in the long run. Now it’s the Big Ten and Pac-10 that are splitting into divisions – and dealing with all the usual concerns about geography, competitive balance and protecting traditional rivalries.
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