SIAC moves to East/West Division format for football

January 3, 2006

Tucker, GA – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and its member institutions will move to an East/West Division format for football beginning the 2006 football season. With the addition of Claflin University, Langston University, and Lincoln University to the conference the SIAC will now move to a six (6) team East/West format for football (Claflin University currently does not sponsor football).

The Format for the East/West Division included considerations to keep the eleven game format for scheduling, maximum of two protective dates to account for traditional rivalries and Classics, and a consideration for a long term format of at least four (4) years. Under the new East/West format each team’s conference schedule will be reduced to eight games which includes five (5) interdivisional games and three (3) crossover Conference divisional games (East plays West); this allows each team three optional open dates for non Conference games versus opponents outside the Conference, or others within the Conference to make up the eleven game schedule. A round robin format was used to configure the Crossover game format with a home and home rotation occurring before the crossover schedules change. Under this plan Eastern Division schools will have only minimal travel contact with Lincoln and Langston in the West meaning no team from the East will have to travel to both Lincoln and Langston during the same season.

Currently the SIAC has not added a Conference Championship game however the Champion of the Conference will be determined by the highest winning percentage of conference games, head to head competition, record against common conference opponents with full Division II membership, scoring margin in games played among the teams locked in a tie and overall record. The Conference Champion will represent the SIAC in the annual Pioneer Bowl unless that team is selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs, in which the conference runner-up will be chosen to participate.

Dr. William E. Lide, SIAC Commissioner stated “this is a big step that the Conference is making. The East/West Format will allow for our member institutions to play within a region and also allows for our two new football members Lincoln and Langston University to have a smooth transition into the conference while allowing key match ups, traditional rivalries and classics to still take place. This East/West Format will also generate new rivalries and intense competition between the two sides thus generating exciting SIAC football action across the country on a week to week basis.”

The East/West Format will also be considered for adoption for the 2006-2007 basketball season and is already in action in many of the Spring Sports of the SIAC. Schedules reflecting the SIAC football East/West Format are under finalization and will be updated on the SIAC website upon completion.

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