Pair of teams suggested as ‘permanent rivals’ for Oklahoma Sooners in SEC

Oklahoma and Texas are transferring to the SEC in tandem and the Red River Showdown will stay intact as a everlasting fixture on the SEC schedule. But what ought to Greg Sankey and the schedule makers do with the remaining opening for Oklahoma’s “permanent rivals.”

The Sooners have a number of choices to contemplate. Texas A&M, as we suggested final yr, looks like the least seemingly of the choices anymore. Though nonetheless an outdoor chance, it seems like the thrill has gone to the Sooners going through Missouri regularly.

The historical past is prolonged, with practically 100 matchups performed. As former Big 8 and Big 12 foes, it might make sense to place the Sooners and the Tigers collectively for an annual matchup. Even if it isn’t a “traditional rivalry,” the border matchup makes lots of sense for the Sooners.

But it’s the third staff that everybody appears to have a differing opinion on. It may very well be Texas A&M. There’s Big 12 historical past. It is sensible on the floor, however at this level, the sport that makes essentially the most sense is Arkansas. The two states share a border, and Fayetteville and Norman are nearer in proximity than Austin and Norman.

But there’s one other sport that’s being floated by Andy Staples of The Athletic (Subscription Required) as a everlasting third rival with Texas and Missouri. Oklahoma vs. Florida.

This sport would definitely transfer the needle for the SEC and ESPN (the convention’s tv companion). The buzz in Gainesville or in Norman could be electrical and would make for a implausible College Gameday ambiance.

The yearly matchup would create an enormous rivalry between the fanbases and a enjoyable ambiance in each faculty cities. And but, it nonetheless seems like a missed alternative to pit the Sooners and the Razorbacks collectively.

From a recruiting sense, it might put Oklahoma on tv in a Florida market the place Brent Venables and his employees wish to be vital gamers. Of their 26 signees in the 2023 recruiting class, six come from Florida. That’s greater than any state in the cycle for the Sooners. So whereas it could not make as a lot sense as regional matchups with Arkansas or Texas A&M, there’s a profit for the Sooners.

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Perhaps an even bigger shock got here from USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerburg, suggesting the Sooners play Texas, Missouri, and Mississippi State.

The unknown isn’t a foul concept. Giving Oklahoma and Mississippi State followers a brand new basis to construct a rivalry has some potential. However, that sport wouldn’t transfer the needle a lot for the Sooners or on the nationwide stage, and it doesn’t put them in an element of the nation that’s a recruiting precedence.

It would seem that everybody is in settlement that it’s Texas and Missouri as two of the three everlasting rivals for the Sooners. But what individuals can’t appear to agree about is who that third staff is.

Again, for my cash, Arkansas makes essentially the most sense given the shut proximity and the potential for a “border war” rivalry. But scheduling takes into consideration lots of components and “makes the most sense” isn’t all the time the best precedence.

The SEC schedule makers have their work lower out for them. But we must always start to get some solutions to how the everlasting opponents shake out for the Sooners actually quickly.

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Story originally appeared on Sooners Wire