SEC to Have Two Divisions, Playoff in ’92

The expanded 12-member Southeastern Conference will split into East and West divisions, with a playoff game between the divisional winners determining the football champion starting in 1992, it was announced Thursday. The SEC is the first large-school conference to use divisional play.

With the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina to the 10-school SEC, the university presidents approved two six-team divisions with each team playing eight league football games a year. The presidents also approved a 16-game men’s basketball schedule using the East and West division lineups.

In the alignment, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt will be in the East Division. The West will consist of Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Louisiana State, Mississippi and Mississippi State.