The announcement Thursday from the Big 10 about playing only games within the conference apparently has caught a lot of folks by surprise, including Arkansas State.
“There were no conversations between Arkansas State and Michigan about cancelling our football game,” the Red Wolves said in a release. “We are evaluating all options in light of today’s Big 10 Conference announcement.”
Just what Hunter Yurachek needs … another curveball.
And now there is at least a sliver of the possibility of discussion for the most attractive matchup many fans of both teams really want to see.
Especially if Notre Dame cancels the Arkansas game Sept. 12 game in South Bend.
There has been conversations all across the landscape of college football about similar things, which will be a huge financial hit to smaller schools who rely on those big checks for a big chunk of their athletic budget.
The ACC has been making noises about going in that direction, too, and would include Notre Dame, who is a member of that league when it’s convenient.
The Big 12 already has every conference member playing each other. They’ve only got 10 teams so that’s easy. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby was on a conference call Thursday morning with the Big 10 commissioner and he didn’t mention it.
Nobody knows what the SEC is going to do and even the league hasn’t made a decision yet and they are, properly, waiting.
“The SEC will continue to meet regularly with out campus leaders in the coming weeks, guided by medical advisors, to make the important decisions necessary to determine the best path forward related to the SEC fall sports,” commissioner Greg Sankey said in a release.
Of course, the interesting thing in Arkansas is now ASU likely has an opening on the schedule on Sept. 19.
Those mountains Blake Anderson said the Red Wolves were willing to move for a game with the Razorbacks just became a little smaller if Michigan, indeed, cancels that big payday.
ASU likely won’t make it up somewhere else. They have a game scheduled with Howard University on Sept. 12.
This is going to be entertaining.
