MU’s impending switch to the Southeastern Conference is old news by now. The highly anticipated conference switch has been the focal point of many ESPN segments for months, and people are now anticipating the many benefits such a move will bring to the university.
But seemingly lost in all the commotion are the many school-wide traditions MU had in place with the Big 12 Conference. School officials have promised that most of MU’s traditions will not fall to the wayside due to the recent events.
Zach Parolin, Mizzou Alumni Association student board president, said the first one that comes to mind is the bitter rivalry between MU and Kansas.
“The move to the SEC only strengthens the Mizzou-Kansas rivalry,” he said. “It may temporarily take away the athletic competitions, but it’s clear from the reactions that the mutual hatred between the two schools is stronger than ever.”
Parolin said the MU-KU Border War is simply too storied a rivalry to let fade away.
“I think it’s inevitable that, at some point, the schools will find room in their non-conference schedules to include each other again,” he said. “There is too much tradition and too much potential revenue to let it die for good.”
Kansas would seemingly disagree, tweeting, “@KUNews: Missouri forfeits a century-old rivalry. We win,” moments after the conference switch.
The SEC switch will spell the demise of many traditional athletic rivalries between MU and its former Big 12 opponents. Traditions such as the Telephone Trophy between MU and Iowa State and the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe will likely die next year, Parolin said.
Students expressed dismay at such an idea but also realize that this gives them a unique chance to witness the formation of new school traditions that will carry on in the future.
“One of the biggest downfalls of all this, I think, is the fact that we are fine with just throwing away a lot of our rivalries with these other schools,” sophomore Jacob Simburger said. “Hopefully, we’re given the chance be a part of creating new rivalries and traditions with some teams in the SEC.”
Parolin said MU will almost assuredly be given the opportunity to develop new athletic traditions as time wears on.
“I’m sure the Mizzou Alumni Association and select student groups will be keeping an eye open for opportunities to develop new athletic-based traditions,” he said. “The switch brings new opportunities to capitalize on the excitement of these new relationships. I’m sure someone, or some group, will capitalize on that as time progresses.”
One such opportunity that could present itself resides in another former Big 12 team. Earlier this year, Texas A&M also decided to jump ship from the Big 12 to the SEC.
“Mizzou and Texas A&M are essentially partners in crime – both schools escaped the Big 12 and can revel together in that fact,” Parolin said.
Parolin anticipates Texas A&M becoming an even larger rival than in previous years, yet he still sees the main school rivalry residing with the Jayhawks across the border.
“Texas A&M will become more of a rival, but not in the same form that Kansas is now,” he said. “A&M will be fun to play, but the rivalry will not come close to the intensity of the Mizzou-Kansas rivalry.”
