One theme of conference realignment has been the end of long-standing rivalries, and often times, the hard feelings that accompany their demise.
Missouri, on their way to the SEC, wants to keep the Border War with Kansas. The Jayhawks’ response? “We’ll see.”
Texas A&M, also headed to the SEC, still wants to play Texas, even if it’s not on Thanksgiving. After losing the final Lone Star Showdown for the foreseeable future in dramatic fashion, it’s not difficult to understand why the Aggies want another crack at the Longhorns.
UT’s response? “Yeah... we’re booked.”
Now A&M looks like they’ll lose another Big 12 rival for similar reasons. Speaking to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said his school would not schedule A&M in the future unless the two schools agreed to compete in nonconference matchups in every sport, not just football.
“We discussed it with all our head coaches,” Hocutt said, “and that’s something we as an athletic department and we as a group of coaches feel strongly about at this time.
“Our football schedule is set for the next two years. We’ll see if anything happens in the near future. But if down the road they’re interested in having that conversation, we would be willing to engage in it as well.”
Let’s start off by saying that this likely isn’t going to happen. It’s one thing if two programs were always out-of-conference rivals, but that’s not the case here. Also, A&M’s rivalry wasn’t nearly as big as the one with Texas, and the Aggies are probably more comfortable with losing a game against the Red Raiders than the Longhorns if they had to choose.