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For 2024 our three non-con opponents are Colorado State, Michigan, and UTSA.  I expect we'd have to add another UTSA level team to get to 4 OOC games.

I doubt we'd schedule a D1-AA/FCS team-- but for just one year, if there were no other options, I guess I could live with it.

Same thing happened back in 2006 when the NCAA expanded the regular season from 11 games to 12.  Texas had to add a team at the last minute and the options were limited, so that's when we scheduled D1-AA/FCS Sam Houston State.  That marked the first time since the 80s that Texas scheduled a D1-AA team, and it's also the last time Texas ever scheduled a D1-AA team.

In a well run program, there's several reasons for deciding on an OOC game. Obviously, you schedule a win. Usually the first team should be a team you can beat reliably - even if you're gonna play a poor game. That way, you can diagnose what went wrong and improve before conference play.
Another reason is fan engagement. Hated rival, historic contest, big name, etc.
You can play for recruiting concerns. Play a team in an area that the high schoolers can come watch.
Finally, especially in Texas, schedule a game for the other team's benefit. When you're a Texas type program, you got coaches, assistants, and grad students that came up through the ranks. Let a coach who's trying to build his program get on your schedule. He knows he's not getting the On3 five-star guys, but if he can offer a kid a chance to play on TV in Austin, it'll help him take the next step.

UGA had a pretty solid OOC slate later in this decade but then Texas and OU walked out on them for some reason ........

It's 'cause we're skeered!

OU lost series with Georgia, Tennessee (partly due to Covid), Alabama, and LSU. It's going to be hard to come up with replacements of equal interest.

Shifting gears, the game we lost (due to Covid) that I really want to see made up is @Army. It was scheduled to be held at West Point, in Michie ("Mikey") Stadium, capacity 38,000, which is a beautiful venue overlooking the beautiful Hudson River. That would be cooler than playing it in MetLife Stadium.

Gatorama saw many more stadiums than I have seen, so his opinion has weight. I agree with him, FWIW.

It's not just the stadium, though. It's the setting as well.

We've got many holes to fill, two of them in 2024 since the SEC has voted to have an 8-game conference schedule for at least the 2024 season. I very much hope that goes to a 9-game conference schedule in 2025.

2023
9/2 Arkansas State
9/9 SMU
9/16 at Tulsa

2024 (first season in SEC)
8/31 Temple
9/14 Tulane

2025
8/30 Illinois State
9/6 Michigan
9/13 at Temple

2026
9/5 UTEP
9/12 at Michigan
9/19 New Mexico

2027
9/11 at SMU
9/18 San Diego State

2028
9/2 Temple

2029
9/1 at San Diego State
9/15 Nebraska

2030
8/31 Tulsa
9/14 at Nebraska

2031
9/6 San Diego State

2032
TBA

2033
9/3 Tulsa

2034
TBA

2035
9/15 at Clemson

2036
9/13 Clemson


I hope we can plug @Army in there somewhere.

well, this "problem" with scheduling was caused by the SEC inviting OU and UT

clean up your mess

or just use it as an excuse

go milk your cows farmer