SEC – Big Ten Challenge

While I was living at the DePaul library last week, one of the few hours I took off of studying was to watch the Badger Basketball team take on UNC in Chapel Hill.  This game was part of the highly touted, Big Ten – ACC challenge that has taken place over the past 11 years.  Each season, NCAA basketball fans have this challenge to look forward knowing that it will contain compelling games.  It makes up for cupcake contests early in the season such as Wisconsin vs. Keensaw State.

Two of the top Guards in the country
played each other thanks to the Big Ten - ACC
Challenge.  

This challenge has been so successful that the Big East and SEC have started their own challenge that takes place at the beginning of the season.  As I was watching the UNC-Wisco game, I was talking to a former college roommate about the challenge in general. We were both mentioning how great it would be if football had a similar challenge with a conference such as the Big 12 or even the SEC. 

Since then, I have thought on this topic more and more and really question why this has not happened yet.  Now, I do not understand contracts and what it takes to schedule college football games but I must imagine athletic directors and conference commissioners have thought of this idea before.  Other than just setting up the schedule, I really see no other problem with this.

Each game would be a highly anticipated match as there is a good chance the opposing teams have not played each other in past or in recent history.  Fan bases would want to flock to away games for a chance to attend a game at a historical college football sight.  It would also draw a great deal of national attention and positive attention at that.  It is the type of attention that is desperately needed for a conference like the Big Ten. 

Yah, there is a chance we could lose a number of these games but eventually we will win.  Even if we do lose, one of the biggest knocks as of late has been how weak the non-conference schedules have been of Big Ten teams.  Throw in a challenge with the SEC and no one will be able to make that argument again.

Imagine the scene that would take place at Camp Randall as LSU comes to town and they have to play under the lights as the country watches on.  Or an Urban Meyer Buckeye team heads back to the Swamp to play his former team.  The storylines and potential matchups are endless and even if it was not the SEC, a Big 12/Pac 10/ACC challenge would be just fine.  Yet, if you’re going to take on a bully on the playground, you might as well go after the biggest and strongest. 

So Mr. Delany, take the necessary actions to recapture the respect that our beloved conference has lost.  Yes I understand this type of deal might take time but it is a deal that would be well worth it.  It would allow college football fans to know that the 3^rd Saturday of every college football season (hypothetical) will contain a set of games that is must watch TV.  What the hell, let’s kick this weekend off with a Thursday night game to get even more national attention.