Many college football fans are looking forward to the future SEC expansion that will welcome the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners to the conference.
Most discussions regarding the expansion have understandably centered around football, but it also presents an exciting opportunity for other athletic programs such as baseball.
The details of the realignment are still unclear, and it’s not even set in stone when Texas and Oklahoma will officially join the conference yet. Will the two programs abide by their contracts until 2025 or make the move sooner?
Regardless, before we know it, the SEC will be home to 16 teams. Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY Sports recently spoke on the benefits of the expansion, and which eight rivalries will flourish thanks to the additions of Texas and Oklahoma.
Unlike the last round of SEC expansion, this one will restore lost rivalries, build new ones, and a restructured conference scheduling format will increase the frequency with which certain current SEC members meet, enhancing rivalries.
The Red River Rivalry was surprisingly left off of his list, but several other intriguing matchups were included.
Tennessee vs. Auburn
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What Toppmeyer says
The Vols have no shortage of rivals, a list that includes Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Auburn belonged in the conversation, too, before the SEC’s shift into divisions in 1992 interrupted these teams from playing annually.
Bruce Pearl coaching Auburn basketball makes this a natural hoops rivalry, and the football rivalry would be enhanced by more frequent meetings.
LSU vs. Texas
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What Toppmeyer says
Like Oklahoma-Alabama, these teams have limited history, but the ingredients exist for a rivalry.
LSU fans spill into Texas. Longhorns fans have a presence in Louisiana.
Plus, Austin has a dining scene that rivals delicious Cajun food, so even if the football doesn’t deliver, the food always will in this series.
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