As students flood back to campuses across America, it is a giddy time in college sports. At 6 p.m. ET Thursday, North Carolina-South Carolina and Liberty-Kent State share the distinctive honor of kicking off the college football season.
Meanwhile, conferences and schools are starting to roll out their college basketball schedules, making for the annual Sharpie dash to circle key dates.
When does Kentucky head to Knoxville for revenge after its Black Saturday date against Tennessee last season, when the Wildcats lost by 30?
When can NC State fans welcome Duke, upset by the Wolfpack a year ago, back to Raleigh?
Can Purdue fans, with a highly regarded recruiting class, get a sweep of hated Indiana by winning not only in West Lafayette but also in Bloomington?
Nothing yet?
Don't worry. It's not your eyesight. The games aren't there.
Welcome to the world of superconferences, where the money is terrific but things like rivalries are largely an afterthought.
Basketball, long the ugly stepchild in realignment, is once again being victimized by pigskin power, forced to pick and choose home-and-home series thanks to the girth of the leagues.
To read more of Dana O'Neil's piece about how rivalries are taking a hit due to conference realignment, click here.
