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We could very well be on the verge of college football’s very first super conference with 16 teams. Recent reports indicate that both the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns have reached out to the SEC for membership.
What is telling about this situation is that both schools have released statements that they won’t comment on the story, neither one shot it down. Why would they want to point-blank call it false if they are making moves behind the scenes? The question at this point is how would the conference realign with the addition of two teams. It would likely shake up how the West and East divisions are made up.
According to Ross Dellenger, the SEC’s own network has proposed an idea of four pods for the 16 teams. In this proposal, the LSU Tigers would join Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State in their pod.
Texas and Oklahoma would then join former Big 12 foe Missouri and former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas in Pod D. Dellenger tweeted the full breakdown.
SEC Network, the league’s own TV channel, has some ideas. pic.twitter.com/MSnth9IYMM
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 22, 2021
This would essentially give the college football landscape the Texas-Texas A&M game every four years based on the makeup at a minimum. It would likely make more sense to swap Texas A&M and Missouri giving the Aggies annual matchups with Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Of course, Texas A&M’s athletic director Ross Bjork’s head might explode at that point.
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What this would indeed do is shake up some annual matchups including Alabama-LSU. With rivalry games being such a huge drawing card to college athletics, that is one rivalry that should remain yearly despite them playing in different pods or divisions.