I like the pod idea. I would schedule it using NFL model. 3 games against your pod, 4 games against another pod that changes every year, and 2 games from the other two pods with team that finished in the same position as you did. So your example would have Texas play all 3 from the South, all 4 in the West, and then Alabama, Florida. Oklahoma plays South, West and then Auburn, Georgia. 9 conference games, you'd play every team in conference at least 1 every 3 years. New rivalries emerge if you keep getting the same finish as another team. For SEC Championship, you'd take team with best conference record from each set of paired divisions with head to head being the tie breaker.