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Try to imagine a season where Florida didn't play Florida State. Suppose Auburn permanently dropped Alabama from its schedule. Just think if Army decided to end its epic series with Navy. Would the NCAA be the same?
The Sooners and Cornhusters are currently working on a deal to let the two old-time rivals play each other during seasons when the Big 12 schedule doesn't match up the schools. Joe Castiglione, the Sooners' new athletic director, has contacted Nebraska AD Bill Byrne after learning of a proposed two-year hiatus on their universities' 70-year series. "It's a travesty that Oklahoma and Nebraska aren't playing football every year," Castiglione told the Omaha World- Herald during a May 30 interview at the College World Series. "I understand the conference schedule. But that series and that rivalry should continue in some way." Despite their efforts, however, the schools will be unable to alter the upcoming schedule. However, Castiglione is confident about the future. "We can't do anything in the short term," he said. "A lot of future schedules and contracts already are in place. But in the years when Oklahoma and Nebraska aren't scheduled in the conference, we're going to try to find a way to put it in the non-conference category." "I don't want to put words in Bill's mouth, but I sensed he was very enthusiastic about it," Castiglione added. "The kind of series we're talking about means a lot to the program. So I would like to find a way to make that happen." The WAC, meanwhile, has put their football future in jeopardy after attempting to pass an absurd realignment plan that would have dismantled some of their top rivalries. As I first covered in the June 2 column, 13 of 16 WAC athletic directors voted to approve the realignment. Then, in a shocking development, half of the conference schools announced their intention to secede from the WAC and form their own conference. Among the reasons cited was the loss of these traditional rivalries, namely those between Air Force, Colorado State and Wyoming. "I obviously knew that there were problems out there," WAC commissioner Karl Benson had said. "Needless to say, I was shocked and surprised - that this is what ended up happening." It was a clear message from the sport to the executives that run it - leave the rivalries be, for they are perhaps the most important thing the sport has to offer. Go To Page: 1 2
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