SEC programs with rivalry games against ACC competition reportedly working to keep those games on the schedule

The Big Ten’s decision to shift to a conference-only slate for the 2020 college football season caught many off guard as the clock continues to tick down toward the scheduled start of the season.

What’s really interesting about the Big Ten’s move is that there is still time to figure out the best path forward but the league must have decided it was in its best interest to go ahead without consulting the rest of the Power 5 conferences.

Don’t expect the SEC to make a similar decision any time soon, as there are several marquee in-state, non-conference matchups the league would like to preserve if at all possible.

According to college football insider Matt Hayes of Bleacher Report, the SEC programs with rivalries with ACC programs — such as Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, Florida vs. Florida State, South Carolina vs. Clemson and Kentucky vs. Louisville — desire to keep those matchups for the coming season.

SEC sources tell me East Division teams with ACC state rivals desperately want to play those ninth ganes. The problem: P5 inventory isn’t there for remaining 10 SEC teams if B12,P12 play 9 conf games, and ACC helps ND fill a schedule. (1of2)

— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) July 10, 2020

(2of2) One possibility: the remaining 10 SEC teams play each other as non-conference games to reach nine games total. But that’s not who SEC is — and leaves possibility of asterisk for SECCG. Tough spot for all involved.

— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) July 10, 2020

The real challenge may not be in playing those games, it may be how to work around extra games in the schedule for a select few SEC programs. Could we see an SEC vs. ACC weekend challenge at the end of the regular season?

That could be one way to get the most out of a season that’s going to likely go down without a few originally scheduled games.