You know, I’m one of those who privately kind of rolls my eyes most of the time I read these conspiracy theory comments about the SEC being “against” Arkansas. I’m a pragmatist; when first it leaked (when the SEC was courting A&M) that the conference might match the Aggies with LSU in what had been (to that point) OUR annual slot with LSU (Thursday weekend), I pointed out that IF that happened (and I thought it would when many stuck their head in the ground and said “they wouldn’t dare”), that Jeff Long would get some things in return, such as (1) getting Mizzou instead of S. Carolina as our every-year SEC East opponent; (2) playing Alabama a little later in our schedule; and (3) continuing the series with A&M in JerryWorld (which WE wanted at the time, and the Aggies wanted out of). We got all of them.
But with this recent scheduling screw job, and then this rumor, I’m getting more and more PO’d at the total lack of respect and/or consideration it seems that anyone associated with the SEC has for us, our program and our fans.
No - I don’t think this will happen. But to even SUGGEST moving us - one of the very west-most teams in the entire conference - to the East where we’d be matched against teams we have virtually no history with…after 30 years in the SEC West…would be the ultimate middle finger to us. Just reading it - fictional though it may be - really steams me. Bowing down to Texas, OU and A&M at our expense…why not more Ole Miss, MSU or Auburn to the East…where they geographically belong (compared to us)? Well, I know why with Auburn…but MSU?
I really don’t understand why Auburn fights moving to the East. Their biggest rivals are bama and Ga, they could keep both of those, and would have Fla and EOEk every year. I guess they have a lot of history with LSU, but I don’t know that they really consider it a rivalry. I was surprised they didn’t move over when we went to 14, which would’ve made a lot more sense.
My reading of your linked op-ed is that this would be a shift for only the 2020 season. Interesting to say the least, but I don’t see the disrespect here that you are otherwise spot on with IMO.
One year? Meh. Lots of weird things could happen. tOSU and Nebraska are both talking about playing outside the Big 14 for one year. Imagine the Suckeyes in the SEC East. Or the ACC Coastal.
Consider this: If we got moved to the East for a year, we’d play Vandy, Kentucky and SoCar and might avoid one or more of Bama, Auburn and LSU. I’d take that trade.
The latest I’m hearing is that the Pac-12 may pull the plug today, the Big Ten is on hold, ACC and SEC are moving toward playing, and the Little Dozen is really split down the middle. If the PT and B10 pull the plug and the LD go with them, I don’t know if the other two could or would go it alone.
But - if it did - do you really think it would only be for one year? Some of the biggest life changing events I have personally experienced or witnessed have taken place after I’ve said/heard “well…it’s only for (a few weeks/a few months/this year)”. Once OU and Texas crossed the biggest barrier (leaving the Big 12, even if just for “one year”), do you really think things would simply revert to how they had been before? I don’t.
For one thing, TV would throw HUGE money to increase the SEC package to keep that group intact going forward. Even the Longhorns (who have to know that the LHN is on tenuous ground) would have to listen. And, from an ego standpoint, both programs (and their fans) absolutely believe that they belong with the elite in the SEC year in and year out.
As for the SEC leadership, I have NO doubt that they’d sell Arkansas down the river (i.e., banish us to the Eastern Division, to which we are a poor fit in ALL ways) in a Birmingham minute if they thought it would “buy” getting OU and Texas in the fold.
Even if it were to happen for one year, which I doubt, I doubt even less it would be permanent. OU would probably love to be in the SEC. Texass probably would but not at the expense of sharing TV revenue equally the way the SEC does. Maybe it’d give that up, but I’m not so sure. I also think Tamu & us would strongly oppose letting Texas in. Mizzou probably feels the same. I don’t know how excited LSU would be, either.
I don’t see us getting kicked to the east under any circumstances. I could see the conf going to 4 divisions of 4 teams each if 2 teams were added.
That said, no one knows the ripple effects of this virus, especially if some leagues play & others don’t.
You think tOSU is going to leave the Big Ten permanently? Nebraska? Iowa, another possibility? Not a chance. They just want to play this year; thus a one-year deal. Texass isn’t going to leave a league where they run the show for one where they’d just be another big school. Not until the Little Dozen implodes, which is always possible. Even then the EOE ego mandates Pac-12 or Big Ten.
There’s also the possibility of no divisions at all. Take the top two records for the SECCG, as the Big 12 is doing now. Two or three permanent opponents, rotate everyone else.
(1) Who said anything about OSU and Nebraska? I know there has been speculation about them in general, but MY POST was about the SEC, Texas and OU. Period.
(2) I’ll say it for the 3rd time - I DON’T think this will happen. But the post was made on the premise that it did (“What if?”). And IF Texas and OU “played in” the SEC this season, that in and of itself (IMO) would signal the Big 12 implosion you reference. I don’t believe they shake things up for JUST one season. That may be what they say at the time, but I don’t believe it (nor do I trust either school or AD to be publicly forthcoming on such a matter).
We all know the Big 12 has been sitting on shifting ground for a long time…teams departing, none joining…Texas bullying the rest of the conference with a larger piece of the revenue pie PLUS the LHN…basically NO good TV draws other than Texas and OU. It’s been number 1 on the “which Power 5 conference is the best candidate to be cannibalized” for a decade now. A move like this, no matter how it was labeled at the time, would lead to the permanent demise of the conference, IMO.
OSU and Nebraska have identified themselves publicly as being open to the possibility of playing in another league in 2020. That ain’t speculation, or rumors like the one USA Today ran with. Scott Frost and Ryan Day both raised the issue themselves. At this point I’d say there’s a better chance of Ohio State in the SEC this year than Texas.
You’re going down the wrong road here, SF. Let’s not get bogged down in the semantics of speculation vs. hypothetical vs. whatever else. It’s irrelevant. I’m neither agreeing or disagreeing with your comments about what may happen to OSU or Nebraska.
What is relevant is that what those two schools may or may not do is outside the scope of my OP and comments. You are free to discuss them, if you wish…but what they do has no relevance to my comments about the SEC, Texas, OU and Arkansas, and what may or may not happen IN THE SEC. That’s what all of my posts/comments in this thread have been about. If you want to respond to those, fine. If not…please start or post on another thread.
Ive always understood Bama has intrest in blocking Auburn from moving to the east division because it would help Auburn in recutiing in florida and Bama see’s the east division as an easier path to the SEC Championship
And It has always looked to me that Bama is equal to (maybe not as dirty as Utexass - spit int he SWC)