SEC coaches talk scheduling agreement with Big Ten. What UGA AD Josh Brooks thinks of it

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2 days ago

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla.—Georgia football fans have savored memorable playoff victories against Big Ten teams Michigan in 2021 and Ohio State in 2022 en route to national titles.
Could similar matchups happen in the regular season under a proposed scheduling agreement between the conferences?
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Some SEC coaches emerged from the conference spring meetings on Wednesday May 28 at the Sandestin Hilton saying they would support that.
For that to happen, the SEC may need to go to a nine-game schedule, play a Big Ten team and then have two other nonconference opponents.
'I think we'd be open to it in the right scenario,' Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said.
The SEC and Big Ten talked about a scheduling agreement, but SEC commissioner Greg Sankey Wednesday night said called a mandate to play 'incredibly difficult….That's a long road to hoe to get to the end of that.'
One issue is some SEC schools have in-state rivalries played annually including Georgia-Georgia Tech, South Carolina-Clemson, Florida-Florida State and Kentucky-Louisville, but other SEC teams don't have an in-state rivalry outside the SEC.
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Georgia in some seasons already plays two power conference schools outside of SEC schedule.
'While I say I'd be open to it, I then take a look at what we have on our schedule and see how it affects it,' Brooks said. 'We do have Florida State, Louisville and other teams lined up. All of that fits into that puzzle.'
Some of those nonconference games could have to fall off the schedule if a Big Ten partnership were added.
The SEC won four straight national titles from 2019-2022, but hasn't had a team in the last two championship games.
'They've won the last two, and you can't deny that,' South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said.
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Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said an SEC-Big Ten alliance would excite TV executives and fan bases.
Pittman said another option besides playing nine SEC games would be to play the Big Ten opponent instead of a ninth SEC game.
'I think the league wants us to go to nine,' he said. 'How are we going to do it? Are we going to go to nine playing ourselves or are we going to go to nine and maybe invite another conference to play?'
Said Beamer: 'I'm all for it, but it would be like the Kansas City Chiefs playing the Green Bay Packers for our 18th regular season game and the other teams aren't.'
(This story was updated to add new quotes.)
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: SEC-Big Ten scheduling agreement possible? What UGA's Josh Brooks said