re: SEC to Tennessee: Do Not Schedule Baylor

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A rare chiming in from me... Brian or others can confirm, but this is kind of an older story from what I heard a couple weeks ago.

The version as told to me was that the two ADs spoke briefly and there was mutual interest, but the SEC is trying to find more uniformity in their P5 scheduling which kept any talks from getting serious. And even then Tennessee probably wouldn't have done it anyway with OU on the schedule too. The conversation didn't go anywhere and I'm actually very surprised it's even a story now. It's really a non-event.


Had Tennessee scheduled Baylor they would have had 10 P5 games (2 P5 OOC) and the rest of the conference only 9 (some with 8, working on their 9th P5 as an OOC). So I can see where the SEC stands on this.



As much as we'd all love a narrative about the SEC wanting their teams to avoid Baylor, it's really not what happened.

FWIW, I'd love to go to a game at Tennessee. Fantastic atmosphere. Two great stadiums for a home and home. Maybe down the road we can make it happen.

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This is all very entertaining, to be sure. How accurate? Who knows. If the SEC "stepped in", I can guarantee it wasn't because they were scared of Baylor or some such crazy notion. If they stepped in, it was likely a legit business reason having to do with a big picture, not some fear of Baylor.

Frankly, I seriously doubt the SEC stepped in at all...doesn't pass the common sense test. Far more likely is the notion that Baylor/Tenn couldn't work out the details, whatever they were. And, it's laughable to think Tenn is trying to dodge us...they have been one of the most aggressive schedulers in the last quarter century.

At the heart of all this is a very good thing...it seems we are trying to change our scheduling. That's excellent.

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