Why don't we get to see the Oklahoma-Nebraska game every year anymore? Its a travesty that we don't. It's one of the greatest rivalries in college football. The Big XII should incorporate the SEC's rules in regards to this, where there is one crossover opponent every year from the other division (i.e., Georgia-Auburn). What would the SEC be without the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry? Or the Third Saturday in October (Tennessee-Alabama)?
How can you take away a rivalry that included the "real" Game of the Century in 1971? Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers basically won the Heisman Trophy with this punt return.
The current Big XII system rotates teams on a 3-and-3 basis whereas Oklahoma, for example, plays three North division teams for two years, and then plays the other three North division teams the next two years and back and forth.
The Big XII made a big flaw without including the one old rivalry game like Oklahoma-Nebraska every year. I understand why though. The Big XII welcomed four teams in 1996, while the SEC welcomed only two teams in 1992. And all four new Big XII teams are located in the South division. So, the Big XII just didn't have as many old rivalries to preserve as the SEC.
However, I believe that Oklahoma-Nebraska trumps the idea of a 3-an-3 rotating Big XII schedule. The next step would be to ask Oklahoma State, as the only other South division school that was a former Big 8 member, to select a North division school to play every year. And then use the biggest overall traditions from there on out. For example, Texas would play whomever was left in the North with the greatest overall record historically.
Just a thought...at least Oklahoma and Nebraska played each other this year...
1 comment:
Earl,
Great example of how bad decisions kill great rivalries and traditions.
Of course the last thing the Big XII would want is to be accused of copying the SEC....
But we can hope... just this once.
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