This could be good news for Alabama football
SEC Media Days always bring headlines and rumors, but this year brought news from outside the conference’s main teams. Rumors swirled around Texas and Oklahoma potentially joining the SEC. While this is far from a guarantee, this would actually be good for Alabama football. Allow me to explain.
Alabama will be at the top of the SEC as long as Nick Saban is leading the Tide. Even if you add two powerhouses, Alabama will be the top team. Alabama has a winning streak against both Oklahoma and Texas, and it will be a long time before the powers shift.
Adding teams that can’t compete with Alabama football to the conference will always be good for the Tide. Not only does it add to the legitimacy of the SEC, but it also takes two teams with a chance to reach the CFP out of the Big 12. Under current construction, teams in that conference have an easier path to the Playoff, but they have yet to make it past the semifinal. If they had to play an SEC schedule, they would likely be out of contention by the end of the regular season. This would make it easier for the SEC to get a second team in the field, making it easier for Alabama football to reach the CFP.
While all of this helps, the kicker for the Tide is recruiting. Texas is the best state to land high school athletes for football, and the Longhorns and Sooners both love to take that talent. Alabama has landed plenty of Texas stars in the past, but they are always competing with other schools in that state. Playing the Longhorns and Sooners regularly would act as a showcase for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama hasn’t played Texas since the championship game to start Saban’s title run. Playing them in conference games would serve as a semiannual reminder that the Tide are the better program. It would also darken the recruiting pitch of those teams since they would not have an easy path to the CFP or the conference title game.