Big 12 Chooses Nine-Plus-One Model With Home Non-Conference Slate

The announcement came yesterday even though the conference has yet to finalized any schedulesGETTY IMAGES

The Big 12 has "voted to approve" a 10-game football format wherein each team will "play all nine conference opponents and host a nonconference home contest," according to Nick Moyle of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. The announcement came yesterday even though the conference "hasn't finalized any schedules" yet. Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said only "the start of conference play will be solidified in the coming weeks, with an anticipated start sometime between mid- to late-September, with the expectation that nonconference games are contested prior to beginning league games." Moyle notes the new model also gives the conference "flexibility to move back the Dr Pepper Big 12 championship game from Dec. 5 to Dec. 12 or 19" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/4). THE ATHLETIC's Olson & Auerbach cited sources as saying that if the Big 12's title game must get pushed to Dec. 19, it "could move to nearby Globe Life Field." The UIL Texas high school football championships are scheduled for Dec. 16-19 at AT&T Stadium, and the Cowboys are scheduled to host the 49ers on Dec. 20. Sources also indicated that Oklahoma and Texas "still intend to play their rivalry game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, provided it's safe to do so, and likely with limited capacity, despite the cancellation of the State Fair of Texas." Sources added that neither side is "interested in scheduling a home-and-home arrangement instead" (THEATHLETIC.com, 8/3).

MORE DETAILS: While the ACC is restricting its non-conference games to in-state schools, the Big 12 said that its schools "must play their non-conference games at home." USA TODAY's Paul Myerberg notes not playing non-conference games "eliminates a number of high-profile matchups in September featuring members of the Big 12," including West Virginia-FSU, Baylor-Ole Miss, Oklahoma-Tennessee and Texas-LSU (USA TODAY, 8/4). In Dallas, Chuck Carlton reports Big 12 ADs "debated a handful of schedule models Friday within the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic, without reaching a consensus." Among those discussed: a "12-game regular-season schedule, a conference-only slate and a proposal that would let each school choose its number of nonconference games." Eventually, the plus-one "fit the Big 12 best." By adding a non-conference game, Big 12 teams are looking at a 10-game schedule, the "same as their power conference peers." That "could be important when the College Football Playoff selection committee starts analyzing résumés and data points later in the season" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/4).

PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY: ESPN’s Heather Dinich noted Bowlsby “has been telling me for weeks that he expects disruptions to this season because of the coronavirus pandemic and this scheduling model -- they hope -- will provide the flexibility to adjust to any disruptions that happen.” Dinich: “You need some bye weeks to provide some cushion.” However, ESPN's Paul Finebaum noted Oklahoma is scheduled to play its first game on Aug. 29, which "just shows a disconnect” in college athletics. The SEC and Pac-12 and “not starting until September 26,” nearly a month later ("Get Up," ESPN, 8/4). 

OUTSIDE THE POWER FIVE: The AP's Ralph Russo notes now that the Power Five has declared its intentions for football this season, the Group of Five conferences can "start making plans and filling holes on their schedules -- maybe with Big 12 or ACC teams." AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco has said that his conference "could stick with its eight-game conference schedule and let its members [play] as many of their four nonconference games as they can salvage or replace." The Mountain West, Conference USA, Mid-American and Sun Belt conferences are "likely to take a similar approach" (AP, 8/4).

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