The Finality of the Big 12 Conference Season Play
Going undefeated in conference season play always amazes me. I know it happens basically every year in at least one conference, but there are so many good teams and hostile venues that avoiding every roadblock, no matter how good any one team is, takes an insane effort (regardless of any luck one may have along the way).
Often is the case with the schedule that a team solidifies its clinching of the conference season title against a team not in the running to win said title. The best two or three teams in the conference may play in the middle of conference-play, so one team may seize de facto control of the conference race or even clinch a guaranteed share of title, but both teams technically have more matches to play. This is what we saw with Ohio State and Georgia men beating Michigan and Florida, respectively, this past weekend. First, those matches were awesome and had all the emotions you would expect. There was a lot on the line in those matches, and both teams knew it and played like it.
Having done so much work already, both Georgia and Ohio State are now very much in the driver’s seat to go undefeated in conference play. A team like Michigan may genuinely feel that, despite the fact that there are technically more matches to play, Ohio State won the Big 10 conference season by beating Michigan a few days ago (and most people would guess it will play out that way). I’m sure Ohio State and Michigan played it as though the winner of that match would be the season champ. However, that ultimate clinching moment for the undefeated season title for teams like Ohio State or Georgia, should it come, will not come at the hands of someone else seeking that same goal. Nothing wrong with that. It’s not like this is a critique of either of these apparent conference leaders. I mean, how could you not be impressed by what Georgia has done in conference play? This is more of a commentary on the schedule than anything else. But, it would have been amazing if Ohio State and Michigan or Georgia and Kentucky or South Carolina could have played in the final match of conference season play.
Big 12 Showdown: Texas vs TCU [April 15, 2023]
In the Big 12 this year, we get that final moment. The schedule worked in our favor. On Saturday April 15, Texas and TCU play for the Big 12 season championship. Both teams have taken care of business to this point – no losses… yet. That’s about to change for one of these teams, and there is no time for reconciliation. There is no help to be had, no one to clean up any mess you have made along the way. All the work has been done, and it’s a winner take all moment. I know that this isn’t the end of the season. I get that both of these teams will have a legitimate shot to win the Big 12 tourney, regardless of the outcome on Saturday. And, while both of these teams have legitimate goals of making deep runs in the NCAA tournament, neither of them is truly concerned about national ranking/seeding as maybe other teams in the 8-10 spot or the 14-18 spots. But let’s not get wrapped up in what this match isn’t and what it doesn’t affect. Let’s focus on what it is. The more scenarios we get like this in college tennis, or sports in general for that matter, the better. This is the two best teams in the country squaring off for the crown of undefeated Big 12 season champion. It has that final of a tournament feel, and every time this happens, it’s awesome.
One team’s fate in conference season play will come at the hands and revel of the team across the net. It’s Texas celebrating on its home courts on Saturday night in front of several hundred fans, perhaps solidifying itself as the best team, or it’s TCU silencing the crowd and avenging their home loss just a few weeks prior with a Big 12 title on the courts of the only team to beat them this season. The fact that one of these teams won’t be a season champion, shared or not, at the end of conference season play is messed up. It’s brutal. That’s what makes it better. Again, there is much more to play for in the weeks to follow. Either one of these teams would be similarly happy if they lost this match and won the conference tourney. And both of these teams would trade it all in for the natty. I’m not trying to overblow the value of this match, but if you can’t get up for this, I’ve got nothing for you. This is why you play. So, I’d like to thank the respective teams for going undefeated and the schedule gods for their infinite wisdom and foresight. I’ll be praying for this to happen every year.
