Challenge time

The SEC has tightened the record with “wins” against the Big 12 in back-to-back years, but the conference would have to go 9-1 on Saturday to get ahead for good as this will mark the final year of the challenge. The Big 12 holds a 48-41 record in the nine previous years of the event, with one game — Texas at Kentucky — wiped out due to covid-19 issues in 2021.

The Big 12 can can clinch the 10-year challenge by going 2-8 on Saturday.

The SEC will take up a new challenge next season against the Atlantic Coast Conference.

This year’s challenge features just one matchup of ranked teams: No. 10 Texas at No. 4 Tennessee at 5 p.m. (ESPN).

Another marquee game is No. 9 Kansas, which has lost two games in a row, at Kentucky, which has won three in a row, at 7 p.m. (ESPN) from Rupp Arena.

Arkansas is on the road against the team with the best record in the challenge, Baylor, which is 7-2. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are all 6-3, while Kansas and TCU are 5-4. Worst record in the Big 12 belongs to West Virginia (2-7), which hosts Auburn at 1 p.m.

Florida (6-3), the only SEC team to play in all nine events, is also the only team with six wins in the series. Kentucky and Tennessee are both 5-3, Alabama is 4-2 and Arkansas (4-4) and Georgia (2-2) are the only other SEC schools without losing records.

The SEC’s worst record belongs to Ole Miss (1-6), with Mississippi State and South Carolina both at 1-3. Georgia, Mississippi State and South Carolina have missed five challenges, most in the SEC.