re: A&M and LSU better be matched. 125 yr old 63-game cross border rivalry.

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For the sake of argument you could have LSU play Oklahoma half of the time and Arkansas the other half. Missouri and Oklahoma or Missouri and Arkansas could play the alternating Thanksgiving games since both are without their traditional thanksgiving opponents (Kansas and Oklahoma State)

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Valid argument, but maybe the SEC office knows that Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are likely to renew Bedlam when Oklahoma State doesn't already have 3 scheduled non-conference opponents. Perhaps they know that Kansas and Mizzou will be renewing as well. Perhaps they just don't like the idea as there is a potential problem with rotating opponents..

Year 1 - LSU vs Arkansas in Baton Rouge, Oklahoma vs Mizzou in Norman
Year 2 - LSU vs Oklahoma in Norman, Mizzou vs Arkansas in Columbia
Year 3 - LSU vs Arkansas in Fayetteville, Oklahoma vs Mizzou in Columbia
Year 4 - LSU vs Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, Arkansas vs Mizzou in Fayetteville

Perhaps 1 of these teams wasn't okay with going on the road for 2 straight Thanksgivings..

I'm just speculating.. but I do think it's possible the speculation above about Mizzou, Oklahoma, A&M and Texas schedules might be accurate.

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Year 1 - LSU vs Arkansas in Baton Rouge, Oklahoma vs Mizzou in Norman
Year 2 - LSU vs Oklahoma in Norman, Mizzou vs Arkansas in Columbia
Year 3 - LSU vs Arkansas in Fayetteville, Oklahoma vs Mizzou in Columbia
Year 4 - LSU vs Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, Arkansas vs Mizzou in Fayetteville

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Setting everything else aside you made it too complicated not completing the home and away on consecutive years. Notice Arkansas is on the road two years in a row and then home two years in a row?

I don’t see the league keeping four teams in a rotation the final weekend. If OU and Missouri get paired up for that final weekend, they would be free to resume playing their Big XII rivals instead, as long as they acted in concert.

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I don’t see the league keeping four teams in a rotation the final weekend. If OU and Missouri get paired up for that final weekend, they would be free to resume playing their Big XII rivals instead, as long as they acted in concert.

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Agreed. I think this is why they likely get paired together.

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Setting everything else aside you made it too complicated not completing the home and away on consecutive years. Notice Arkansas is on the road two years in a row and then home two years in a row?

Yes, that is the problem with rotating opponents that I mentioned above, but I guess I wasn't clear

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I don't think agree. Provided:
1. Three fixed opponents
2. Six rotating opponents you play for a home and away
3. Followed by the remaining six opponents that you played in the following two years (to complete the four year cycle)

For each of the teams the only essential issue is trivial. Your rotating teams (played on Thanksgiving) are just not in the same group of six.

For example

Arkansas:
Year 1&2 Play six rotating conference teams including LSU
Year 3&4: Play six rotating teams including Missouri

Missouri
Year 1&2: Play six rotating teams including Oklahoma
Year 3&4: Play six rotating teams including Arkansas

LSU:
Year1&2: Play six rotating teams including Arkansas
Year 3&4 Play six rotating teams including Oklahoma

You need your six rotating teams to always be three home and three away for purposes of schedule balance. The uneven part of the schedule comes most from the three fixed opponents of whom two are home or away on alternating years - unless, for example, you are Georgia and Florida who will always have an equal number of home and away because of the neutral cocktail party

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unless, for example, you are Georgia and Florida who will always have an equal number of home and away because of the neutral cocktail party

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Texas and Oklahoma fall into this group as well..

As for your rotating opponents..



Link: SEC Announcement on 9 Games

Because of this, rotating becomes very complicated..

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but why?

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I'm giving you my opinion

I'm not telling you how it is..

I'm trying to look at it from the SEC Offices perspective..

12 teams have Thanksgiving matchups

4 teams do not.. 0 2 or 4 of those teams go OOC.. whoever's left plays on that day.. that's my thought process..

So if LSU wants to play OOC on Thanksgiving because they don't want to play Arkansas or Oklahoma, then I suggest you find a travel partner for one of Arkansas, Oklahoma or Missouri.

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why should we have to give that up for Oklahoma and the whopping 4 times ever that we've played them?

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I get what you're saying.. this has nothing to do with what I want or what I want for Texas or anything else.. I've viewed this as a giant puzzle since 2021.. and while the puzzle has gotten better since then, there simply isn't a perfect solution.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

One last thing. If Alabama vs LSU isn't played each year, then imo it is for 1 reason and 1 reason only.

Alabama didn't want to play against 3 Big 6 opponents as their permanent rivals each year..

It has nothing to do with anyone else.. So ask them..

As for the round robin you speak of.. I'd prefer to play Tennessee or LSU each year.. guess what, no one cares about that request.. We are all playing each other because no one else wants to play us

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You guys are the only ones that drink as much as us,

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But we are drinking bourbon and beer not…you know…. The stuff in those jars.

If A&M hadn’t backed out of the contract in the 90’s it would be a more heated rivalry.