When the SEC expanded in 1992, it only made sense to pit South Carolina and Arkansas as cross division rivals.
They were the newest kids on the block, and in a league deep with tradition, you certainly didn't want to upset the apple cart.
Could you imagine an SEC season without Georgia-Auburn?
I think not.
So when the league again went the addition without subtraction route last season – adding Missouri and Texas A&M to the conference – it opened an opportunity to change the permanent opponent from the other division.
The Gamecocks appear to no longer be playing those pesky Razorbacks every season.
Instead, all signs point to a new USC-Texas A&M union.
South Carolina president Harris Pastides has led the charge in the change, even asking fans for input on who the Gamecocks should play.
It makes a lot of sense.
There's a border rivalry just ready to take off between Missouri and Arkansas. They recruit a lot of the same players, and with the bizarre setup with the Tigers playing in the Eastern Division, it's nice to see two teams geographically close playing each other.
For the Gamecocks, this could be a blessing in disguise.
The Razorbacks own a 13-7 record all-time against USC since 1992, and the Razorbacks have reached national-title contending level under Bobby Petrino. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
In this era of football, it never hurts to have the big dogs left off the schedule. That doesn't mean Texas A&M won't be a formidable foe every season - the Aggies definitely have the tradition - but USC already knows how difficult a draw Arkansas is.
A change is good for the Gamecocks, who will get to see what it's like to play in the uncomfortable confines of Kyle Field - home of the "12th man," which the fan base enjoys being called for a reason.
No one will really know for sure when and if this happens until the SEC finishes putting together a 2013 schedule. This year's slate is more of a makeshift with the following season being the future plan of the league.
The real kicker is how all this will shape the entire SEC schedule, which right now appears to be keeping the format of an eight-game league season instead of bumping it up to nine.
That means teams will only face one other squad from the other division. With a rotating slate, USC might only play LSU once every 12 years.
But who knows where the powers of the league will take this thing moving forward?
As for now, the Gamecocks have something different to look forward to. And different is good in this case.
Maybe they'll begin a budding rivalry with the boys from the Lone Star State, and 50 years from now, when the league expands to who knows how many teams, someone will look back fondly like we do with Georgia-Auburn now.
You never know, Gamecocks-Aggies could be the South's Oldest Rivalry by then.
link: http://www.independentmail.com/news/2012/apr/05/changing-from-arkansas-to-am-could-be-good-usc/
They were the newest kids on the block, and in a league deep with tradition, you certainly didn't want to upset the apple cart.
Could you imagine an SEC season without Georgia-Auburn?
I think not.
So when the league again went the addition without subtraction route last season – adding Missouri and Texas A&M to the conference – it opened an opportunity to change the permanent opponent from the other division.
The Gamecocks appear to no longer be playing those pesky Razorbacks every season.
Instead, all signs point to a new USC-Texas A&M union.
South Carolina president Harris Pastides has led the charge in the change, even asking fans for input on who the Gamecocks should play.
It makes a lot of sense.
There's a border rivalry just ready to take off between Missouri and Arkansas. They recruit a lot of the same players, and with the bizarre setup with the Tigers playing in the Eastern Division, it's nice to see two teams geographically close playing each other.
For the Gamecocks, this could be a blessing in disguise.
The Razorbacks own a 13-7 record all-time against USC since 1992, and the Razorbacks have reached national-title contending level under Bobby Petrino. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
In this era of football, it never hurts to have the big dogs left off the schedule. That doesn't mean Texas A&M won't be a formidable foe every season - the Aggies definitely have the tradition - but USC already knows how difficult a draw Arkansas is.
A change is good for the Gamecocks, who will get to see what it's like to play in the uncomfortable confines of Kyle Field - home of the "12th man," which the fan base enjoys being called for a reason.
No one will really know for sure when and if this happens until the SEC finishes putting together a 2013 schedule. This year's slate is more of a makeshift with the following season being the future plan of the league.
The real kicker is how all this will shape the entire SEC schedule, which right now appears to be keeping the format of an eight-game league season instead of bumping it up to nine.
That means teams will only face one other squad from the other division. With a rotating slate, USC might only play LSU once every 12 years.
But who knows where the powers of the league will take this thing moving forward?
As for now, the Gamecocks have something different to look forward to. And different is good in this case.
Maybe they'll begin a budding rivalry with the boys from the Lone Star State, and 50 years from now, when the league expands to who knows how many teams, someone will look back fondly like we do with Georgia-Auburn now.
You never know, Gamecocks-Aggies could be the South's Oldest Rivalry by then.
link: http://www.independentmail.com/news/2012/apr/05/changing-from-arkansas-to-am-could-be-good-usc/