When SEC realignment takes place at the beginning of the 2024-2025 season, Auburn football will no longer be bound to play the other six teams in the SEC West — in fact, there will be no SEC West or SEC East.
Greg Sankey revealed on the February 10 edition of McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on WJOX 94.5 FM in Birmingham that the Southeastern Conference would be moving to just one division when Oklahoma and Texas join. Auburn football may no longer be required to play the likes of Arkansas, Texas A&M, LSU, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss, though the annual Iron Bowl matchup against Alabama will undoubtedly remain.
Here was Sankey’s direct quote via McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning host and former Tigers offensive lineman Cole Cubelic:
"We have focused most recently on a single division format"
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) February 10, 2023
- @GregSankey on @macandcube discussing future @sec scheduling
Oklahoma and Texas would be money matchups for Auburn football
When Texas and Oklahoma make their way to the SEC, Auburn football will be a money matchup waiting for the two college football bluebloods — each of whom has won at least four national championships throughout program history.
No offense to Vanderbilt or Missouri, but Longhorns fans and the Sooners faithful are not exactly looking forward to matchups against the Commodores or (those) Tigers like they are a matchup on the Plains or welcoming the traveling AU faithful to their own home stadiums.
Auburn represents a culture clash with either incoming fanbase that features the shared bond of football over anything. When Texans and Oklahomans understand what the state of Alabama offers from a Power Five college football standpoint, the motto ‘it just means more’ will finally hit home.
Matchups between AU and UT/OU are money matchups waiting to happen. Don’t be surprised when both schools are on Auburn’s schedule in 2024 and 2025.