If Big 12 fans were hoping to get a bit of revenge on Texas and Oklahoma for bouncing to the SEC, the odds just went down.
The SEC announced this morning that it has partnered with the ACC and ESPN for an ACC-SEC Challenge that will take place in both the men and women’s game beginning with the 2025-26 basketball season.
The partnership will officially bring to an end the SEC-Big 12 Challenge, which has now gone on for a full decade.
Arkansas will play at Baylor on Jan. 28 as part of this season’s challenge and also has an early December game against Oklahoma in Tulsa as part of the unrelated Crimson & Cardinal classic.
“We are excited women’s and men’s basketball student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete with their colleagues from the ACC as we initiate a new Basketball Challenge experience,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “I appreciate the collaboration of Jim Phillips and the ACC members, along with our broadcast partner ESPN, to make possible the SEC/ACC Basketball Challenge which will provide our fans with exciting basketball early in the 2023-24 season. I also thank the Big 12 for the many great challenge games we experienced together in past years.”
While the SEC-Big 12 Challenge was a natural fit for former SWC, Big 12 and far western outposts in the SEC, the ACC will provide for more natural heat between teams for the majority of the SEC’s members.
As for the ACC, signing on for the challenge means giving up its 23-year series with the Big Ten.
“The future ACC-SEC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenges will be outstanding events for our student-athletes, member institutions and fans,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “The SEC, led by Greg Sankey, and our partners at ESPN have been terrific, and there’s great excitement for the first annual ACC/SEC Challenge next season. As part of this announcement, we’d like to acknowledge the Big Ten for its partnership on the ACC/B1G Challenge that spanned more than 20 years.”
As for the Big 12 and Big Ten, ESPN is looking for additional ways to make money from them also. Considering the level of basketball that is about to be added to an already strong Big 12, it’s highly possible ESPN pairs the two conferences together in a battle to see which “BIG” conference truly is bigger.
“We look forward to showcasing the talented men’s and women’s programs throughout the ACC and SEC in the years ahead through this exciting new collaboration with both conferences,” said Nick Dawson, ESPN Vice President, Programming. “Since establishing the very first interconference challenge in 1999, these events have been a staple of our college basketball schedule for more than two decades. We thank both the Big Ten and Big 12 for their partnership in the final year of our existing events and look forward to finding more ways to creatively partner with both conferences in 2023-24 and beyond.”
HOGS FEED:
WHO PITTMAN NEEDS ON SPEED DIAL IF KENDAL BRILES LEAVES TOWN
DIAGNOSING THE HEALTH OF RAZORBACK FOOTBALL AT END OF SEASON
SLUSHER SITUATION TURNING INTO PR NIGHTMARE FOR ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE PD
NUMBER OF RAZORBACKS DEPARTING PROGRAM STARTING TO PILE UP
RAZORBACKS UNABLE TO CLINCH FIRST WIN IN MISSOURI
ANDY HODGES’ PREGAME FINAL LOOK BEFORE HOGS’ GAME WITH MISSOURI
PORTAL ACTIVITY WILL SAY A LOT ABOUT PITTMAN’S APPROACH TO BOWLS
WATCH-LISTEN: HOGS LOOKING TO KEEP MIZZOU OUT OF BOWL GAME
LET THE ERIC MUSSELMAN APOLOGY TOUR START
TOUGH WIN IN MAUI WILL PAY BIG IN MARCH
LIVE REACTION TO HOGS’ OVERTIME WIN OVER SAN DIEGO STATE IN MAUI
AZTECS THE MATCH-UP ARKANSAS NEEDED AFTER TOUGH LOSS
MUSSELMAN SQUARES OFF AGAINST FORMER RIVAL
SEC ROUND-UP: LANE KIFFIN STAKES HEAT UP, GATORS PULL SCHOLARSHIP FOR RACIAL SLURS
HOGS MOTIVATION AGAINST MISSOURI IS MORE PRACTICE TIME; TIGERS JUST QUALIFYING FOR A BOWL
CREIGHTON DELIVERS CLINIC TO HOGS ON VALUE OF TEAMWORK
LOTS OF POSITIVES FOR HOGS IN LOSING CLOSE ONE TO NO. 10 CREIGHTON
SEC ROLL CALL TROLLS VANDERBILT FOR SECOND WEEK IN A ROW
SEC SHORTS HAS TENNESSEE, OLE MISS MEETS WITH THE PLAYOFFS
AUBURN POTENTIALLY STUCK IN A TEEN ROM-COM
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