Bjork says Texas A&M favors nine-game SEC scheduling format

DESTIN, Fla. — Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork on Wednesday made it clear that A&M wants to play Texas in football every year.

He also made it clear that won’t happen if the Southeastern Conference opts for an eight-game conference schedule.

Football scheduling has been the primary topic of conversation this week at the SEC Spring Meetings.

A vote will be held among the presidents of the 14 current SEC members on the conference schedule format for 2024 when Texas and Oklahoma join the league.

One model calls for a nine-game conference schedule, in which each team would play three permanent rivals and rotate the other six opponents each year.

The eight-game model calls for each team to play one permanent rival and rotate seven opponents each year.

Bjork confirmed under the eight-game model Texas A&M’s permanent rival would be LSU. Texas and Oklahoma would be permanent rivals.

“When the whole conversation started on who are the primary rivals, Texas was not going to give up Oklahoma and Oklahoma was not going to give up Texas,” Bjork said. “That was never discussed. We built a really good rivalry with LSU. The last game has been meaningful. The seven-overtime game (in 2018). Those games have been high profile.

“If it stays at eight games and it’s a one-seven model, there’s never been a discussion to change.”

Bjork said A&M favors the nine-game model, so the Aggies could face both LSU and Texas annually. Under that model, Mississippi State likely would be A&M’s third permanent opponent.

“We want to play (Texas) every year,” Bjork said. “But in an eight-game model that’s not guaranteed. In a nine-game model it would be guaranteed. That’s another reason we’re in favor of nine is we want to play Texas every year and we made that clear.”

Texas A&M and Texas, which traditionally played on Thanksgiving Day, have faced off 118 times dating back to 1894.

However, Texas canceled the series in 2012 when A&M left the Big 12 to join the SEC. Now that Texas is following A&M into the SEC, the series has an opportunity to resume.

Even if the series resumes on an annual basis, Bjork said the game might not be played on Thanksgiving.

“It doesn’t matter when it’s played,” Bjork said. “I think Thanksgiving night is sacred for families. So, I think that’s tough for people.

“I think that weekend now that you have Friday and Saturday, now that we have ABC options and ESPN options, I think the TV windows open up more on Friday and Saturday than they ever have.

“No matter when it's played, if it's the first weekend in November, last weekend of the season, first of September, it’s going to be massive, so there’s no preference from my standpoint.”