Alabama AD Greg Byrne explains why Tide won't schedule Oregon despite being from Eugene

Scheduling is always a topic athletic directors are asked about, with different fans having different ideas of fun matchups to play early in the season. On Monday, somebody inquired Alabama‘s Greg Byrne about potentially facing the Oregon Ducks in a home-and-home series. One year, the Crimson Tide head West while the Ducks head South at a different date.

Byrne, who grew up in Eugene and still has ties to the area, had to explain why the theoretical series would not work out. Future SEC scheduling is currently in limbo, giving its members pause about future games played outside the conference.

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“Even though I grew up in Eugene and have a lot of friends back there, we do not have plans for that for the following reasons,” Byrne said via X. “1. We are scheduled out until 2035 w/A4 opponents (Wisconsin, FSU, Ohio State, Notre Dame, WVU, others).

“2. Don’t know if we will add an additional SEC conference game in the future (8 or 9?). We have paused adding any new A4 non-conference games until future SEC schedules are worked out.”

For at least the next two seasons, the SEC will only have eight conference games. Expanding to nine is certainly possible but could discourage some big-time nonconference matchups from taking place. Especially for the programs that already have in-state rivalries to play at the end of the season.

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Specifically to Alabama, they have some great home-and-home series on the schedule. A trip to Madison to face Wisconsin is just a few weeks away, taking place on Sept. 21. Byrne mentioned a few of the others, facing two A4 (including Notre Dame) opponents every season through 2035.

This is off the back of years of beginning seasons against big-time opponents but on neutral fields. Nick Saban rarely played non-SEC Power Five teams away from Bryant-Denny Stadium during the regular season while in charge of the program.

For now, this specific fan (or Byrne) will not get to see Alabama play Oregon, a matchup we have never seen play out in college football. Maybe once the SEC provides more clarification on what conference scheduling will look like, Byrne can find a way to make a series between the two take place in his hometown.