Latest news with #SpringMeetings
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
CBS Sports pits Auburn with this Big Ten team in a hypothetical alliance
CBS Sports pits Auburn with this Big Ten team in a hypothetical alliance The traditional fanfare between these two programs would create an electric atmosphere says Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. Talking season is underway, and the biggest topics of discussion this week are potential changes to the College Football Playoff format and a possible alliance between the SEC and Big Ten. During the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida this week, LSU head coach Brian Kelly discussed the desire of fellow SEC head coaches for SEC teams to face one Big Ten team each season in the future in an effort to challenge each team. "The Big Ten right now holds it on the SEC," Kelly said this week. "They've won the last two national championships, that's the reality of it. We want to get challenged in that regard and we'd like to be able to get that done. That's up to the commissioner and the ADs, but that's the wish of the room." If this dream were to become a reality, which Big Ten squad would pair best with the Auburn Tigers? Brad Crawford of CBS Sports recently pieced together hypothetical pairings of an SEC vs. Big Ten schedule, and has pitted Auburn with Iowa in this scenario. The two teams have never met on the gridiron, and the traditions that each team possesses would create an electric atmosphere in the regular season. Despite all of those Florida-based bowl games for the Tigers and Hawkeyes, these programs have never played. What's up with that? Iowa has one of the nation's best gamed traditions with the 'Hawkeye Wave' at the end of the first quarter of every home game while Auburn enjoys the 'Tiger Walk' and pre-game 'Flight of the War Eagle' prior to kickoff. It would be a neat experience for fans of both teams if Auburn and Iowa were locked in a alternating series with at least enough time for each program to get a home game. Auburn has a winning record historically against the Big Ten at 16-15-1, with most matchups coming in postseason play. The Tigers have a winning record over seven Big Ten squads including Washington, Michigan State, and Oregon, with teams such as Penn State, Wisconsin, and USC holding an edge over the Tigers. The potential alliance between the SEC and Big Ten would create opportunities for Auburn to square off with the conferences best teams while expanding their history with teams such as Illinois, UCLA, and Iowa, teams that Auburn has never played on the field. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Approving SEC budget now in Donde Plowman's purview as new executive committee president
Chancellor Donde Plowman, in addition to leading the University of Tennessee at Knoxville through a historic period of growth, will approve the budget and oversee financial decisions of the Southeastern Conference in her new role as executive committee president. Elected May 29, Plowman will begin her two-year term effective July 1. She was an executive member in 2022 and 2023, and she served as vice president of the committee beneath University of Alabama President Stuart Bell from 2023 through 2024. 'I look forward to working with my SEC colleagues an (SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey) over the next two years,' Plowman posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'Can't wait to get started!' The committee is made up of three SEC officers and four people elected during its annual spring meeting. The elected members include a CEO, director of athletics, senior woman administrator and faculty athletics representative. Though Plowman's committee term comes to an end in 2027, she will continue leading UT as chancellor until at least 2029. All 20 Tennessee programs reached the NCAA postseason or a bowl game in 2023-24, with the Vols winning a baseball national title and reaching the Elite Eight in men's basketball in a banner year for Tennessee Athletics. Not only is UT a member of the SEC, but Knoxville is the conference's birthplace. The SEC was founded in December 1932 at the Farragut Hotel on Gay Street, now the Hyatt Place. The full list of executive committee members: President: University of Tennessee at Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman Vice President: University of Missouri President Mun Choi (will become president in 2027) Secretary: Texas A&M Faculty Athletics Representative Paul Batista University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce (will become VP in 2027) University of Florida Faculty Athletics Representative Chris Janelle University of Georgia Athletics Director Josh Brooks University Kentucky Senior Woman Administrator Rachel Baker The election happened during the third day of the SEC's Spring Meetings, where university presidents, chancellors, coaches and others discussed topics including scheduling, the transfer portal and the College Football Playoff and the pending House v. NCAA settlement. Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee chancellor Plowman elected SEC Executive Committee president
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Could CFP expansion threaten Cy-Hawk Series future?
Could CFP expansion threaten Cy-Hawk Series future? Could College Football Playoff expansion spell doom for the future of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series? As SEC Spring Meetings unfolded this week in Destin, Florida, CFP expansion was at the forefront of the discussion. The initial momentum seemed to be CFP expansion toward a 4-4-2-2-1 model. In the 4-4-2-2-1 model, the Big Ten and SEC would each receive four automatic qualifiers into the College Football Playoff, while the Big 12 and ACC would each receive two. The highest-ranked Group of Six conference champion would also receive an automatic qualifier and then there would be three at-large bids. Now, it seems that a 5+11 CFP expansion model is picking up steam. In the 5+11 model, each of the five highest-ranked conference champions would receive automatic qualifiers and then 11 at-large bids would be awarded to the highest-ranked teams by the CFP selection committee. Either expansion road could be enough to convince the SEC to expand its league slate to nine conference games. That would match the Big Ten's current nine-game conference slate. Plus, it sounds like the SEC sticking with an eight-game conference slate is a non-starter for the Big Ten in terms of expanding the playoff to a 5+11 model. Assuming the CFP expands to 16 teams and the SEC adds a ninth conference game, those changes may also set the stage for the reported Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement that's been floated about. LSU head coach Brian Kelly endorsed a potential Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement on Wednesday. "Our first goal would be wanting to play Big Ten teams as coaches," Kelly said. "I can speak for the room. We want to play Big Ten teams but you've got to get a partner. You've got to get a partner who says we're in for that, too. So we've made our voice clear, our athletic directors know that as well that we would like that. Our commissioner obviously heard us well. The rest will be up to what gets negotiated." But, a potential Big Ten-SEC scheduling agreement could come with other scheduling consequences. Under that scenario, Iowa would play a nine-game Big Ten slate and then add an annual SEC nonconference date on top of that. With 10 of 12 games already filled up with Big Ten and SEC foes, would the Hawkeyes be willing to still sign up for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game annually? That would mean an 11th Power Four contest and leave just one final open date for a likely FCS or lower-level FBS opponent. In November of 2022, the University of Iowa and Iowa State University extended their scheduling agreement through the 2027 season. That ensures the date this season on Sept. 6 in Ames, a meeting in Iowa City on Sept. 12, 2026 and their contest in Ames on Sept. 11, 2027. If the Big Ten and SEC do indeed strike up a scheduling agreement, the Cy-Hawk Series and other nonconference in-state rivalries for Big Ten and SEC programs could be at risk. SEC schools Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina all have annual in-state rivalry games as does the Big Ten's Washington. USC also has its annual nonconference series against Notre Dame. Iowa owns a 47-24 all-time mark in the series and have won seven of the past nine in the in-state rivalry. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What Kalen DeBoer sees in Alabama football 'healthy' quarterback competition into June
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Once again, when Kalen DeBoer addressed the Alabama football quarterback battle, the Crimson Tide head coach did not address the quarterbacks by name. But he lauded Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell at SEC Spring Meetings May 27 for what they have been able to do away from campus. "These guys did a great job, all three of them, of really doing some of those leadership things, and going places, and bringing guys with them," DeBoer said. "It wasn't like one quarterback took three guys, and another quarterback took these four. They all did it together." Advertisement June, DeBoer said, will be the "next step" to finding and naming a starter, finding the quarterback who consistently leads the Alabama offense down the field with the "least number of mistakes." "No one has a significant amount of playing time reps in a game," DeBoer said. "But obviously they are at different levels and have shown different things that they can do at a high level already this spring." The only quarterback he named was the quarterback Alabama had to replace: Jalen Milroe, the signal caller who had elements of his game DeBoer really had never had to navigate before in an offense with Milroe's running ability. "Jalen was certainly different," DeBoer said. "I mean that in a positive way. I mean that with the utmost respect of what Jalen's game is all about because he's got some special elements to his game when it comes to running that I really had not been able to coach or very few have seen." Advertisement Along with a quarterback competition, DeBoer said Alabama is working to navigate the "balancing act" of an offense that will use many more options in the run game with Milroe off to the NFL and with three pass-first options at DeBoer's disposal. While Simpson has been widely considered as the favorite, DeBoer continues to call Alabama's quarterback situation a competition, a "healthy one" at that. "I think they all respect each other," DeBoer said. "They are all going as hard as they can. They are going to step on each other's toes at times in terms of that leadership role and things like that, but so be it." Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer talks Alabama football 'healthy' quarterback competition
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Alabama football could have a head start on pitched SEC vs. Big Ten scheduling pact
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Brian Kelly wants SEC football teams to play Big Ten teams. Speaking to a scrum of reporters at SEC Spring Meetings, the LSU football coach said a regular-season scheduling pact between the Big Ten and the SEC was discussed, one that Kelly said was widely supported. Advertisement "Our first goal would be wanting to play Big Ten teams, as coaches, and I can speak for the room. We want to play Big Ten schools. You've got to get a partner. You've got to get a partner who says, 'We're in for that, too.' We've made our voice clear. Our ADs know that, as well, that we would like that. Our commissioner obviously heard us, as well. The rest will be up to what gets negotiated.' Kelly later said the Big Ten "holds it on the SEC," with Michigan and Ohio State winning the last two national championships. "We want to get challenged in that regard, and we'd like to be able to get that done," Kelly continued. "That is up to our commissioner and the ADs to see if that can happen or not, but that's the wish of the (coaches).' SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said he hadn't had discussions with the Big Ten directly related to Kelly's comments but gave "three ways" that conversations about a scheduling pact between the SEC and Big Ten could go. Advertisement "One is you just stay out of it, kind of like we do now," Sankey said. "The second is you try and facilitate more. The third is we agree both for a mandate. That third one is incredibly difficult." Why Alabama football is ahead of curve on SEC vs Big Ten scheduling Alabama is ahead of the curve when it comes to scheduling Big Ten teams. The Crimson Tide started a home-and-home series against Wisconsin in 2024-25, beating the Badgers 42-10 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison Sept. 14. Alabama also has non-conference home-and-home series on its books against Ohio State in 2027-28 and Minnesota in 2032-33, two in a series of non-conference matchups scheduled against teams like West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Florida State, which starts a home-and-home against the Crimson Tide Aug. 30. Advertisement On May 27, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said home-and-home series with teams like Ohio State and Minnesota were scheduled in a response to SEC teams playing an eight-game conference schedule. And if that SEC schedule were to expand to nine games, Byrne indicated that Alabama's future slate of non-conference games would be affected. "People want to debate all the time whether the rigors of the SEC schedule, how does that compare eight versus nine," Byrne said. "On top of that, we play a lot of good non-conference games too, right? If we go to nine, that will be impacted for some schools. It will be impacted for us." Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt each have future games scheduled against Big Ten opponents. Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football could have head start on pitched SEC vs. Big Ten pact
