If there was ever a time to get wild and think outside the box, it is during the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially with college football on its last limb, trying to find a way to be played.
Reportedly, the Big 10 has already pulled the plug, with the Pac 12 shortly behind them. Three other Power 5 conferences remain. The ACC, Big 12, and SEC.
While there are multiple different things being reported, one scenario could bode as a last-ditch ever from Big 12 powerhouses Texas and Oklahoma. The two rivals could link up together and join the SEC for the 2020 regular season.
According to Dan Patrick of the Dan Patrick Show, that could be an option. The SEC wants the ACC and Big 12 “to go along with them” in having a college football season. If they decide to cancel, the conference could pouch some teams to join them.
“The SEC is trying to see if they can pick off some of these schools and see if they want to join them,” Patrick said. “If you can get Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 and they’re going to join you in the SEC, you’ve got a super conference.”
This, of course, would pair Texas back with their oldest rivals, Texas A&M. It has been since 2011 since the two schools matched up because of the Aggies’ departure to the SEC.
DP was told an hour ago that the Big 10 and Pac 12 will cancel their football seasons tomorrow… The ACC and the Big 12 are on the fence.. And the SEC is trying to get teams to join them for a season.
Watch live: https://t.co/sMaeXQkLfl pic.twitter.com/oSUNGMTEqw
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
Ok how about just SEC but take out 2 teams. Add in Oklahoma and Texas. Make Texas play A&M and boom let’s have some fun.
— Patrick (@PatSportsGuy) August 9, 2020
During a normal SEC schedule, the conference holds 14 teams across 11 different states. Adding in Oklahoma would make 12 total states teams from around the SEC could possibly travel to.
Here is what the hypothetical divisions could look like in the SEC:
| East | West |
| Arkansas | Alabama |
| Florida | Auburn |
| Georgia | LSU |
| Kentucky | Mississippi State |
| Missouri | Ole Miss |
| South Carolina | Oklahoma |
| Tennessee | Texas |
| Vanderbilt | Texas A&M |
The only flip that would be needed would Arkansas joining the SEC East after being in the SEC West throughout their time in the conference. None of this is official, so there is no definite answer as to how the SEC would handle the addition of two teams.
College football is in for an interesting roller coaster before the season starts up in either August or September. The Big 12 has said they are still planning on playing football at the moment.
Commissioners and athletic directors across the conference seem as if they will do anything in order for the 2020 college football season to be saved. Even if it takes the Longhorns joining a tougher conference for one season.
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