SEC-Big Ten scheduling agreement? Five teams Alabama football should play if it happens

USA Today

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SEC-Big Ten scheduling agreement? Five teams Alabama football should play if it happens Alabama has a history against four of the Big Ten schools on our list -- and one it has no history with but is overdue for a matchup.
The SEC and Big Ten have been discussing a scheduling agreement that would produce more regular-season matchups between college football's two powerhouse conferences.
The potential scheduling pact was brought back to the forefront at the SEC's annual spring meetings in Destin, Florida, in May. One proposal on the table is the league moving to a nine-game conference schedule after years of publicly flirting with the idea. As part of the proposal, the SEC would play one regular season game against a member of the Big Ten each year.
Annual marquee matchups between the SEC and Big Ten would equal more TV ratings and thusly more money than, say, Alabama's typical nonconference games against Group of Five schools like Southern Miss and Western Kentucky, or FCS schools like Mercer, Chattanooga, etc.
Regardless of how the SEC and Big Ten -- two conference who not all that long ago had about as much in common as warring crime families in a Martin Scorsese picture -- have gotten to this point, the two leagues have lapped the field in terms of revenue, prestige and overall stability.
And if you think the SEC and Big Ten wield too much power now, it's worth considering the vacuum that years of weak and outdated NCAA "leadership" allowed to help create such a vacuum in the first place.
As one of college football's bluest of blue bloods, Alabama has no shortage of history against certain Big Ten schools, particularly in bowl games and the postseason. If the SEC-Big Ten scheduling pact comes to fruition, here are five schools we'd like to see the Crimson Tide play in a home-and-home series at some point.
5. Michigan Wolverines
All-time series history: Michigan leads, 4-3
Last meeting: Dec. 31, 2024
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Result: Michigan 19, Alabama 13
There's obviously some recency here between the Crimson Tide and Wolverines, who have met three times since New Year's Day 2020 -- including in each of the past two seasons. But having some familiarity between two of college football's most storied programs isn't a bad thing.
They've never met in the regular season, though, and a trip to "The Big House" in Ann Arbor with a return visit by Michigan to Bryant-Denny Stadium would be one of the most hyped matchups in any given year. Michigan gets the nod here over Ohio State since the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes already have scheduled home-and-home series beginning in 2027. The Iowa Hawkeyes and a trip to Kinnick Stadium is another option.
For coverage of Michigan, head over to Wolverines Wire.
4. Oregon Ducks
All-time series history: 0-0
Last meeting: None
There are five Big Ten schools that Alabama has never met on the gridiron, but Oregon is the one that would be must-see TV and provide a 'College GameDay' atmosphere. In terms of balance and style, the Tide and Ducks have more in common now than they did when Oregon was first becoming a national brand. This matchup would not only be exciting, but perhaps a bit overdue.
Alabama and Oregon both made the first four-team College Football Playoff in 2014, but the Tide's loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl prevented any chance of the first head-to-head meeting between Alabama and the Ducks from being held in the national championship game.
For coverage of Oregon, head over to Ducks Wire.
3. Nebraska Cornhuskers
All-time series history: Alabama leads, 3-2
Last meeting: Sept. 2, 1978
Where: Legion Field (Birmingham)
Result: Alabama 20, Nebraska 3
Alabama and Nebraska met five times during Bear Bryant's 25-year run in Tuscaloosa as the greatest college football coach of his time. Three of those matchups came on/around New Year's Day against another legendary coach, Nebraska's Bob Devaney, and two of them decided the national championship.
Alabama defeated the Cornhuskers, 39-28, at the Orange Bowl for the national championship on New Year's Day 1966. Nebraska beat the Crimson Tide 38-6 for the national title six years later in Miami on Jan. 1, 1972.
It's been almost 50 years since the Tide and Huskers last played at Birmingham's Legion Field to open Alabama's 1978 national championship season. By then, another coaching legend was on the Nebraska sideline: Tom Osborne.
For coverage of Nebraska, head over to Cornhuskers Wire.
2. USC Trojans
All-time series history: Alabama leads, 6-2
Last meeting: Sept. 3, 2016
Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
Result: Alabama 52, USC 7
Everyone remembers how this game started, with USC's bold entrance out of its locker room to face defending national champion Alabama to kick off the 2016 season. Similarly, everyone remembers how it ended, with the Crimson Tide utterly dominating the Trojans after outscoring Clay Helton's team 35-3 in the second half.
Neutral sites games in the regular season are never as exciting as those played at a team's home stadium such as the storied Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. And unless you're talking Red River Rivalry or Georgia-Florida, most of those neutral site games feel outdated at this point.
Alabama has visited USC three times, the last trip coming in October 1977. Six years earlier, the Tide opened the 1971 season with a 17-10 win over coach John McKay's Trojans when Bryant unveiled the Wishbone offense -- and a fully integrated Alabama football team. Alabama went on to become the team of the 70s, winning three national championships in the decade.
For coverage of USC, head over to Trojans Wire.
1. Penn State Nittany Lions
All-time series history: Alabama leads, 10-5
Last meeting: Sept. 10, 2011
Where: Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pa.)
Result: Alabama 27, Penn State 11
Unlike the programs listed above, Alabama and Penn State actually had something of an extended rivalry. The Crimson Tide and Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions met for 10 straight seasons in the 80s, first under Bryant and later, Ray Perkins and Bill Curry.
Before that, they met for one of college football's most hard-hitting and bare-knuckle national championship games at the Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 1, 1979. In a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in the Sugar Bowl, Alabama made its famous "Goal Line Stand" against Penn State.
Crimson Tide defensive back Don McNeal made an incredible tackle while out of position on receiver Scott Fitzke to prevent a touchdown and set up third-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Barry Krauss stuffed Penn State running back Mike Guman on fourth down from a half-yard out to preserve a 14-7 lead with around six minutes to play. Alabama would hold on for its third national title of the 70s.
More recently, Alabama and Penn State briefly resumed their series with home-and-home matchups in 2010 and 2011, both Crimson Tide victories. In terms of history between college football blue bloods, if the SEC and Big Ten come to terms on an annual scheduling agreement, Penn State is one of the first teams Alabama should look at playing.
For coverage of Penn State, head over to Nittany Lions Wire.