BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE not always SEC’s best.
FAYETTEVILLE — The Big 12/SEC Challenge is on tap for Saturday, with the SEC trying to win the event for only the second time in its eighth edition. The Big 12 holds a 40-30 edge through seven challenges.
The conferences tied 5-5 for the second time last year, with the A-teams — Alabama, Arkansas and No. 16 Auburn — winning at home, and Kentucky and LSU winning on the road for the SEC.
This year’s top matchups: No. 2 Baylor at Auburn, No. 5 Texas at Kentucky, No. 9 Alabama vs. Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, TCU at No. 12 Missouri, No. 15 Kansas at No. 18 Tennessee in a battle of struggling powers, and Arkansas at Oklahoma State.
An added wrinkle to the Longhorns visiting Rupp Arena: Texas Coach Shaka Smart announced Monday that he had tested positive for covid-19.
The other matchups: Texas Tech at LSU, Texas A&M at Kansas State, Florida at West Virginia and Iowa State at Mississippi State.
SEC teams Georgia, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt are not participating.
Baylor continues to rock along with the best record in the challenge at 6-1, while Alabama (3-1) is the only other school with just one loss. Tennessee (4-2), Florida (4-3) and Kentucky (4-3) have winning records for the SEC, while Arkansas (3-3), Georgia (2-2) and LSU (2-2) have broken even.
In the Big 12, Kansas (5-2), Oklahoma (5-2) and Oklahoma State (5-2) have been salty, while TCU (4-3) and Texas Tech (4-3) are also above .500.
On the other end of the spectrum, Ole Miss (0-6) and Mississippi State (0-2) have gone winless, while South Carolina (1-3), Texas A&M (2-4), Vanderbilt (24) and Missouri (1-2) have struggled.
Four Big 12 teams are below .500 in West Virginia (2-5), Kansas State (3-5), Iowa State (3-4) and Texas (3-4).