Fisher prefers Texas as permanent rival as SEC weighs scheduling models

DESTIN, Fla. — As of Tuesday afternoon, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher had no opinion on the Southeastern Conference football schedule issue.

However, he had rather strong opinions about rivals he’d prefer the Aggies play.

SEC officials are expected to vote Friday on whether to adopt a nine-game schedule model or an eight-game model for the 2024 season.

The nine-game model would include conference games against three permanent rivals and six rotating opponents.

Under the nine-game format, A&M would likely play Texas, LSU and Mississippi State as annual rivals. Texas would likely face A&M, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The eight-game model features one permanent rival and seven rotating opponents.

Fisher isn’t yet sure which model he’d endorse.

“We’re still discussing that,” he said to a crowd of reporters. “They’re going through the pros and cons and all that stuff. I’m just listening.

“Until I hear all the information of why you would (play) eight or why you would (play) nine or whatever, I don’t want to make that call. It’s the administration’s choice, but my preference is I want to hear more.”

Discussions on the matter continue on Wednesday.

Though Fisher has no scheduling preference, he prefers to play Texas as a permanent rival. Texas and Oklahoma will join the SEC in 2024.

A&M and Texas have clashed 118 times in the series' history, which began in 1894.

However, when A&M left the Big 12 Conference to join the SEC in 2012, then-Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds opted to cancel the series.

In recent years, Texas officials have campaigned to resume the series, but A&M was uninterested.

Texas' entrance into the SEC may allow for the once-traditional Thanksgiving Day clash.

“When Texas comes in, of course, you’d want Texas because that’s the traditional rival and the things you have,” Fisher said. “But there’s a lot of great (rivals) in the SEC, too.

“LSU has become a great rivalry for us. I think, as you go traditional rivalries of A&M, you’d probably say Texas.”

However, the A&M-Texas series likely would not continue on an annual basis in an eight-game conference schedule. In that model, Texas would probably play Oklahoma as its permanent rival.

“That’s fine with me,” Fisher said. “We’re not going to live our life worrying about Texas. We’re going to live our life worrying about A&M and what’s best for A&M.

“That has nothing to do with (Texas). They’re a great school. They do what they need to do. We need to do what we need to do.”