SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has made headline after headline amid the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, FL, this week. As of Thursday, it has been revealed by multiple sources, including Sankey himself, that the conference will play an 8-game SEC schedule in 2024, the same year that Texas and Oklahoma are set to join the conference that season.
Here’s the catch: the East and West divisions will be eliminated in 2024, featuring one permanent opponent and seven conference opponents in an annual rotation. But, going back to the discussions from all 14 SEC head coaches and administrators this week, a majority seemed to favor a 9-game schedule for 2024 due to its flexibility, monetary advantage, and allure of three permanent arrivals each season.
Now, nothing is permanent, according to Sankey, who stated, “A league at the forefront of college athletics does not stand still,” eluding to a reevaluation in 2025. Out of the 14 programs that received a vote, the belief is that, surprisingly, only five programs, which most likely included Texas A&M (a vocal supporter this week), supported the 9-game change.
Now, concerning the future of the revival of the Lone Star Showdown between Texas A&M and Texas, Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle reported that Sankey will honor “traditional rivalries in 2024”, meaning that the matchup, that has been dormant for nearly 13 seasons is finally, barring any last second changes, set to resume, and will be played in College Station in 2024.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey announces league will use 8-game league schedule for 2024 and continue mulling future options starting in 2025. He said traditional rivalries will be honored in 2024 (aka A&M and Texas will play in '24). That game will be at A&M, Ross Bjork has said.
— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) June 1, 2023
Let’s be clear about this decision and why 8-games was the chosen path in the future; with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024, this has created an issue regarding potential team attrition and player safety related to a 9-game SEC schedule compared to eight, much like the NFL expanding to 17 games in 2021. Now, this is a fair point for every team, but when it comes to any change in the future, financial advantages will always trump any other potential worry, whether we like it or not.
Lastly, the 2024 schedule will be released on June 14, and an answer to if the Lone Star Showdown will finally resume is upon us.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]