DALLAS — After years of speculation, Texas and Oklahoma are officially moving to the SEC a year earlier than expected as they will begin competing in the new conference in 2024.
The move allows the SEC to turn their attention to scheduling, which will undergo an overhaul with the conference expanding to 16 teams.
The league is deciding between two formats: an eight-game schedule with one permanent opponent and seven rotating opponents, or a nine-game schedule with three permanent opponents and six rotating.
Part of the issue with the nine-game schedule, certainly for the lower level programs in the SEC, is the loss of a non-conference game. Teams that struggle to finish .500 need every win they can get in order to qualify for bowl eligibility, and not being able to schedule easier opponents is a tough ask – especially when the conference slate is even more difficult following the addition of the Longhorns and Sooners.
Plus, as Chris Gordy and Josh Neighbors discussed on a Locked on SEC + Locked on Big 12 crossover, it could impact non-conference rivalry games.
“If we’re going to the nine game SEC schedule, and you gotta add Texas and Oklahoma, does Kentucky still want to play Louisville every year?” Gordy wondered. “Does South Carolina still want to play Clemson every year? I know the traditionalists will say yes but I wonder if some of those are considering going away.”
Of course, the other factor here is the dissolving of the SEC West and SEC East divisions, which has historically determined the two teams participating in the SEC Championship game.
Gordy believes the newly expanded College Football Playoff will help ease concern about that, as teams are more focused on making the playoffs than winning the SEC.
“The playoff is now the goal,” Gordy continued. “It becomes a little bit like basketball. Who [cares] about the SEC Tournament anymore in basketball, I want to make the NCAA Tournament. And that’s where it is going to fall for college football as well.”
ESPN will ultimately determine if the nine-game model comes to fruition, as they have to determine if they will pay more money for an extra conference game from each member. If so, this is likely going to be the way the conference aligns starting in 2024.