January 21, 2009

Wisconsin nixes prime-time games against Texas

Despite some extensive legwork on the part of ESPN, you will not be seeing a Texas-Wisconsin matchup during the 2009 regular season. Yet another interconfernece, interregional classic has been nixed by the almighty dollar (or lack thereof, in this case) - Wisconsin has said no.

"I was intrigued," Bielema said Friday. "I thought it would be kind of neat. There's so many comparisons between Austin (Texas) and Madison.

"It was a very interesting matchup to us and one I thought would be intriguing to the fans."

Intrigue or no, the matchup isn't going to happen.

ESPN had agreed to clear the decks for a home-and-home Horns-Badgers series, but Wisconsin called it off. The 2009 game was to be played in Austin, with a return game in Madison in 2013; however, UW wanted to add at least one more home game to the 2009 slate of six existing home dates.

For it's part, Texas had agreed to complete their schedule by moving the UCF game date and adding UW. The Longhorns would return the home-and-home in 2013.

Needing at least one game to complete their 2009 schedule, Wisconsin could have added a road game at Texas and still booked an additional home game for 2009, by virtue of their one-game exception, bringing the Badgers schedule to 13 games in 2009. The NCAA grants an additional game exception to any team playing at Hawaii - a game UW has slated for September.

It's a shame that this game couldn't have gotten made. UW would have had to move a home date with mighty Woffrd to one of two open dates on their schedule, but but the Badgers chose not to go that route.

Kudos to the Worldwide Leader for continuing to push big-time interconference matchups, though. The Texas-Ohio State series was an instant classic. Wisky-UT would have been pretty entertaining as well, but... whatevs.

Comments:

Wisconsin nixes prime-time games against Texas
Despite some extensive legwork on the part of ESPN, you will not be seeing a Texas-Wisconsin matchup during the 2009 regular season. Yet another interconfernece, interregional classic has been nixed by the almighty dollar (or lack thereof, in this case) - Wisconsin has said no.
"I was intrigued," Bielema said Friday. "I thought it would be kind of neat. There's so many comparisons between Austin (Texas) and Madison. "It was a very interesting matchup to us and one I thought would be intriguing to the fans."
Intrigue or no, the matchup isn't going to happen. ESPN had agreed to clear the decks for a home-and-home Horns-Badgers series, but Wisconsin called it off. The 2009 game was to be played in Austin, with a return game in Madison in 2013; however, UW wanted to add at least one more home game to the 2009 slate of six existing home dates. For it's part, Texas had agreed to complete their schedule by moving the UCF game date and adding UW. The Longhorns would return the home-and-home in 2013. Needing at least one game to complete their 2009 schedule, Wisconsin could have added a road game at Texas and still booked an additional home game for 2009, by virtue of their one-game exception, bringing the Badgers schedule to 13 games in 2009. The NCAA grants an additional game exception to any team playing at Hawaii - a game UW has slated for September. It's a shame that this game couldn't have gotten made. UW would have had to move a home date with mighty Woffrd to one of two open dates on their schedule, but but the Badgers chose not to go that route. Kudos to the Worldwide Leader for continuing to push big-time interconference matchups, though. The Texas-Ohio State series was an instant classic. Wisky-UT would have been pretty entertaining as well, but... whatevs.