Sources: Texas, Oklahoma participating in SEC's discussion about football schedule format
DESTIN, Fla. — Texas and Oklahoma, scheduled to join the SEC in 2025, have been part of lengthy discussions about the conference’s hotly debated schedule format, sources told Saturday Down South.
There are multiple plans being debated for the new format, which includes a decision on number of conference games (8 or 9), permanent and rotating opponents, and whether the SEC will keep the wildly successful division format or move to no divisions.
“They’re as important as any other member,” an SEC AD told me.
Texas and OU do not have representatives here at the SEC spring meetings.
Texas and OU have also been part of broader discussions within the SEC, including but not limited to the possibility of the SEC forming its own Playoff at the end of the current College Football Playoff contract after the 2025 season.
Texas and OU are scheduled to join the SEC for the 2025 season. Sources told SDS last summer that the “expectation” was for Texas and OU to enter the league as soon as possible — even as early as the 2022 season.
The potential of that happening ended when the Power 5 conferences couldn’t agree on a new Playoff format. One industry source said the Alliance of the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC scuttled the potential 12-team Playoff as a way to rein in the SEC and prevent the early move of Texas and OU.
Multiple sources said the road to get Texas and OU to the SEC early consisted of a new Playoff structure, and the Big 12’s need to remain an Autonomous 5 (Power 5) conference and reap the financial windfall of it. And the SEC’s ability too clear a path for it to happen.
The current A5 schools will vote on the structure of any new Playoff payout, which could fetch as much as $1.2 billion annually. The Big 12, after losing its two heavyweight programs and without a blue-blood team, would’ve had problems staying at the Power 5 level of payout.
The value of the Big 12, one industry source said, went from “$30-plus million per team to less than half that” with the loss to Texas and OU.
Soon after the expanded Playoff was tabled until the end of the current deal, the SEC began working on a proactive response. That, as much as anything, is why SEC athletic directors were given marching orders by their presidents and commissioner Greg Sankey to think big when discussing the conference’s future. No plan is too wild, or too out of the box — for all 16 future members.
“Texas and Oklahoma, scheduled to join the SEC in 2025, have been part of lengthy discussions about the conference’s hotly debated schedule format”
In other words, Texas is already telling the SEC how it’s gonna be whenever they get here.
It would be funny if the only question on their paperwork is what flavor of ice cream they like.
You can teach an old longwhorn new tricks, it just takes a nice green stick.
I still personally believe an SEC playoff is stupid. Unless clemson joins the SEC like they should have years ago!!! Then Ohio State and Michigan need to come on over. We can change the name from the SEC to THE BLUE BLOOD CONFERENCE OR THE BIG BOYS!!! LOL
But leaving clemson, Ohio state, Michigan and Notre dame out seems crazy!!! Do that and one or more of those teams will be claiming a national championship every season. And the media will be going along with it!!!!
Every season you’ll hear Alabama, Georgia or whoever is good. But these buckeyes are a different breed!!!! These clemson tigers are the reason the SEC formed its own playoff. These wolverines are what Michigan fans and college football has been waiting for!!!!!!
I can already see them beating up on even weaker conference teams and looking unbeatable. I can hear the media running their mouth. Especially if they left in play between conferences. And on any given Saturday one of those teams could beat anyone in the SEC. But not at their best!!!!
Still it won’t stop the wagging tongues of the media!!!! Personally I believe those other conferences welcome an all SEC playoff. That way they avoid the SEC in a playoff situation. Then Ohio state or Michigan. Even Notre dame could conceivably go on a tear of winning their natty every season. Do we really want to listen to the media celebrate their nattys????
I VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!! TO ANY FORM OF ALL SEC PLAYOFFS!!!!
Negan
I wonder if Texas and OU know that with 80 combined seasons a SEC expansion team has never won a SEC Football Championship.
All but A&M have won their division but somehow SDS says A&M is a blueblood. Lol…Texas and Oklahoma are far superior to the other expansion teams though.
5-7 texas is far superior to other expansion teams? LOL. They haven’t been good for over a decade…in the Big XII. ALABAMA_CRIMSON_CRIED is right. I think texas is in no hurry to get to the SEC. They’re trying to get the right coach and roster combination first. That being said, both teams should be involved in scheduling discussions since it’ll be applicable to when they arrive.
I am not worried about a few down years. Overall they are far superior to the others
Missouri won the east. But not the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP! But winning the east is still a big deal. At least I think so!!!
I think of Missouri as a full-fledged member of the SEC. They joined long ago and aren’t waiting until 2025!!!
PS. Texas is still hoping to build up their program before they get here. Same with OU now. But I believe OU is more SEC ready than Texas!!!!!
Negan
Well they should be involved since they are joining the conference..
“One industry source said the Alliance of the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC scuttled the potential 12-team Playoff as a way to rein in the SEC and prevent the early move of Texas and OU”. That statement just can’t be true. I have it on good authority that it was Sankeys greed and stupidity that caused the playoff expansion. Booches94, aka the Danny Kanell of SDS, is reliable. Right?
They aren’t a part of the SEC until 2025. They can come then and accept whatever schedule format the current members decide on.
The schedule wouldn’t change until they joined so it makes no sense to not involve them in the conversation…
A&M fans talk about Texas being bad for the conference but I think it’s A&M that’s the bad ones. They think teams that will be in the conference and providing a boost in revenue should have no say in the schedule. That’s bad for the conference and causes potential rifts. Maybe we should kick them out and pick up OK State. They would probably do better than A&M has done.
You don’t quite understand how rivalry trach(won’t allow the actual word oddly) talk works do you? Most all Aggie fans have friends and family who grew up Longhorn fans or went to UT. If stuff like this bothers you, stay far away from family get togethers in Texas. haha