SWAC 7-game league format has pluses, minuses

The Southwestern Athletic Conference will kick off a new and somewhat controversial conference schedule on Aug. 30. The new format calls for seven games to decide the SWAC divisional races instead of nine. The thought process is that fewer conference games opens up dates for schools to schedule a "money game" against a Division I-A opponent, a game that could pay schools upwards of $500,000.

The idea was approved by the council of presidents, SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp said. The format has its pluses and minuses. Teams that are able to land games against better schools get a boost in revenue and a little national exposure for the league. "With us, the first thing you look at is how is this going to affect us from a financial standpoint," Sharp said.

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