No, this topic is not about how the SEC will schedule games. Or what the Big 12 remnants will do. And definitely not about what the Big Ten should do in response. Or any of that jazz.
No, it's about future schedules. One thing that is interesting about college football is that non-conference games are scheduled in advance. Sometimes far in advance. And that's the case for both Texas and Oklahoma who both have games scheduled into the 2030's. and some of those are... interesting as they are against their future conference mates in the SEC.
One of the criticisms that I have about our athletic department is that after announcing some nifty non conference matchups in upcoming years (like Auburn, yeah!) is that our schedule still is sparse after the next few years including the terrible home and home versus Temple (seriously, I have no idea what that is about). And the issue has been compounded by how many of the top teams have already locked up their future schedules for years to come, leaving little options for potential interesting games. But here's where the new conference changes could benefit PSU.
With OU and UT joining the SEC, a bunch of future games for them are now not going to be non-conference. So this shift will open up not only a bunch of slots in their future non-conference schedules but also in a bunch of SEC teams that were going to be their opponents. Just looking at 2025 and beyond (where the switch is planned to occur, though it might end up sooner):
2027: LSU @ OU
2028: OU @ LSU, Georgia @ UT
2029: UT @ Georgia
2030: UT @ Florida
2031: Florida @ UT, OU @ Georgia
2032: Bama @ OU
2033: OU @ Bama
Right now, PSU should be talking to all these schools and trying to fill in the wide open slots in their future schedules. Hosting LSU in 2027 and then going to Baton Rouge in 2028 would slot in perfect with PSU's schedule. Then maybe hosting Texas in 2029 and visiting there in 2030? Then Oklahoma in 2031 and away in 2032?* Or try to pick up Georgia or Florida. I'm not saying any of these would definitely work out, but we should at least talk to them now and try to arrange something so once future schedules start getting hammered out that we can slid in and formalize them.
*I'm trying to stick to the home game in odd years, away in even years that works with the current Big Ten scheduling, which of course could change.
I know this is pie in the sky, but certainly would be some awesome news for us if we would proactively be pursing it.
No, it's about future schedules. One thing that is interesting about college football is that non-conference games are scheduled in advance. Sometimes far in advance. And that's the case for both Texas and Oklahoma who both have games scheduled into the 2030's. and some of those are... interesting as they are against their future conference mates in the SEC.
One of the criticisms that I have about our athletic department is that after announcing some nifty non conference matchups in upcoming years (like Auburn, yeah!) is that our schedule still is sparse after the next few years including the terrible home and home versus Temple (seriously, I have no idea what that is about). And the issue has been compounded by how many of the top teams have already locked up their future schedules for years to come, leaving little options for potential interesting games. But here's where the new conference changes could benefit PSU.
With OU and UT joining the SEC, a bunch of future games for them are now not going to be non-conference. So this shift will open up not only a bunch of slots in their future non-conference schedules but also in a bunch of SEC teams that were going to be their opponents. Just looking at 2025 and beyond (where the switch is planned to occur, though it might end up sooner):
2027: LSU @ OU
2028: OU @ LSU, Georgia @ UT
2029: UT @ Georgia
2030: UT @ Florida
2031: Florida @ UT, OU @ Georgia
2032: Bama @ OU
2033: OU @ Bama
Right now, PSU should be talking to all these schools and trying to fill in the wide open slots in their future schedules. Hosting LSU in 2027 and then going to Baton Rouge in 2028 would slot in perfect with PSU's schedule. Then maybe hosting Texas in 2029 and visiting there in 2030? Then Oklahoma in 2031 and away in 2032?* Or try to pick up Georgia or Florida. I'm not saying any of these would definitely work out, but we should at least talk to them now and try to arrange something so once future schedules start getting hammered out that we can slid in and formalize them.
*I'm trying to stick to the home game in odd years, away in even years that works with the current Big Ten scheduling, which of course could change.
I know this is pie in the sky, but certainly would be some awesome news for us if we would proactively be pursing it.
