Future Kentucky football schedule possibilities involving Texas and Oklahoma

It’s all but certain that we’ll eventually be seeing the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners at Kroger Field in distant autumn Saturdays, as well as UK road trips to Norman and Austin.

It’ll be very different to see such big name Western programs playing the ‘Cats on a regular basis, as will battling the Longhorns in the SEC Tournament in basketball.

I think there are two main options the SEC will choose from when inserting the Red River Rivalry in the current divisions. Of course, they might get rid of divisions altogether, but that’s beyond the scope of this article.

1. Put both the Sooners and the Longhorns in the West and play 9 conference games with 1 permanent cross-divisional game

There’s nothing East about states with cowboys, rodeos, cacti, and yee-haws, so there’s no reason one needs to go there. Put the Red River Rivalry in the SEC West and move a current West team to the SEC East. Here are a couple of my favorite proposals:

1. Move Auburn to the East, as this makes the most sense geographically.

2. Move Auburn and Ole Miss to the East and move Missouri to the West.

The Egg and Iron Bowls can still be played every year and the geography would make more sense like this.

2. Put OU in the East and UT in the West and play 9 conference games with 1 permanent cross-divisional game

This one would be fun, as UK would get to play the Sooners every year. Plus, Texas would not only be able to keep the Red River Showdown but also be able to renew their old rivalry with Texas A&M.

Now, for the really fun part: let’s imagine a future UK schedule! We’ll do 2022 even though UT and OU might not join till later, and not order them in any specific way.

1.

• Miami (OH)
• Youngstown State
• Texas
• Georgia
• Mississippi State
• South Carolina
• Vanderbilt
• at Florida
• at Missouri
• at Auburn
• at Tennessee
• Louisville

2.

• Miami (OH)
• Youngstown State
• Texas
• Georgia
• Mississippi State
• South Carolina
• Vanderbilt
• at Florida
• at Oklahoma
• at Ole Miss
• at Tennessee
• Louisville

3.

• Miami (OH)
• Youngstown State
• Texas
• Georgia
• Mississippi State
• South Carolina
• Vanderbilt
• at Florida
• at Missouri
• at Oklahoma
• at Tennessee
• Louisville

The possibilities are quite exciting. The future for UK football will involve some cowboy hats soon enough. Go ‘Cats!