SEC rolls out 2012 schedule based on division play
Missouri offensive linesman Justin Britt hoists the Independence Bowl winners trophy following his team's 41-24 win over North Carolina. (Dec. 26, 2011) Credit: AP
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference has unveiled its 2012 football schedule with its two newest members Missouri and Texas A&M opening play Sept. 8, and Alabama will visit LSU in a rematch of the Bowl Championship Series national championship Nov. 3.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive praised the league's transition team and athletic directors for handling what he called "significant logistical challenges" in putting together the schedule released Wednesday.
The 2012 SEC schedule follows divisional play of eight games with six inside the division and two outside. The SEC championship game will be Dec. 1 in Atlanta.
Athletic directors will meet in the spring to decide the formula for future schedules.
"Fans should keep in mind that this league schedule is only for the 2012 season ...," Williams said in a statement.
There remain plenty of kinks to work out for 2012, though.
Texas A&M is under a 10-year contract to play Arkansas in Dallas, and Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino said recently the Aggies want a home-and-home series now that both teams are in the SEC. Texas A&M will be the home team for the Sept. 29 game for which the site has yet to be decided. It will be the first league game between these teams since 1991 when both were in the Southwest Conference.
"Unfortunately, there are still several issues to be resolved in our 2012 football schedule, but we wanted to get as much information to our fans as possible so they may begin planning for next season," Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long said in a statement. "We are pleased to have at least seven home games and possibly eight as part of a very competitive 2012 football schedule."
Texas A&M's entry into the SEC will be challenging. The Aggies not only kick off the SEC season against Florida, they still play Arkansas while hosting LSU and Missouri and visit Auburn, Mississippi State and Alabama on Nov. 10.
The Missouri Tigers visit South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Texas A&M, though they host Vanderbilt, Alabama on Oct. 13 and Kentucky.
