Inside The Mustangs

Insult or Favor? ACC/SEC Challenge Opponents Reportedly Set, but Not SMU

Annual competition apparently may not have been ready for conference expansion, per multiple reports

Andy Hodges

USC Trojans coach Andy Enfield yells from the bench in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.
USC Trojans coach Andy Enfield yells from the bench in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

DALLAS — It will be hard for SMU fans to figure out whether to have their feelings hurt or not after getting left off the matchups in the annual ACC/SEC Challenge. Assuming, of course, the reports out there are accurate about this.

With the Mustangs and Stanford not included on the annual event, you would have to wonder if the contracts (probably with TV) in place, they couldn't be expanded for this season. The ACC added three teams while the SEC brought on Texas and Oklahoma, creating an odd number of teams between the two conferences.

The SEC has 16 teams while the ACC has 18. Somebody was going to get left out, but exactly how that was decided isn't known yet. We are left to speculate if the ACC asked for volunteers or just made some arbitrary decisions.

For the Ponies, though, what may be even more difficult to decide is whether to be mad about a snub or glad they don't have that game. New coach Andy Enfield hasn't weighed in on the whole matter, yet.

At first glance, Enfield probably has enough problems to sort out with taking over the Ponies and finishing up a roster. He's likely at the stage now where he's rounding up some practice players that make the regulars better. Playing in the ACC against folks like Duke, North Carolina and a host of other teams will be a step up this year, coming from the AAC.

Now, though, he won't have to worry about playing an SEC opponent. He's got bigger concerns with the league's teams — and those matter a little more.

PONY EXPRESS:

• Mustangs' talent level stacks up well in state of Texas in annual magazine

• 2024 SMU football early opponent preview, Game 3: TCU

• Where former Mustang golfer Bryson DeChambeau ranks for U.S. Open

• Follow allPONIES on X

Published
Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi. Follow on Twitter and Facebook

Home/Men's Basketball