SEC to count games against BYU toward its P-5 scheduling requirement

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BYU sports fans who are still hurting over the Cougars' 94-90 loss to Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament First Four game got some news to soften their pain a little bit on Thursday morning, courtesy of ESPN's Brett McMurphy.

McMurphy reported via Twitter that a source told him the Southeastern Conference (SEC) will now count games against BYU and Army, which is also independent, towards its Power 5 nonconference games requirement.

Another independent, Notre Dame, has always been considered a nonconference P5 team by the SEC.

The SEC joins the ACC in making the change that should help BYU's scheduling efforts.

The ACC announced on Jan. 29 that games against BYU will count toward that league's requirement that its teams play at least one Power 5 team. McMurphy reported Thursday that the ACC still won't count games against Army, just BYU.

Last spring, the ACC and SEC said games against BYU would not count.

The change of heart has happened because the Big 12, Pac-12 and Big Ten — the other three so-called Power 5 leagues — play or will play in the future nine conference games and have fewer nonleague opportunities.

The SEC's requirement begins in 2016, while the ACC's begins in 2017.

The other three P5 leagues do not have rules regarding nonconference games.

The Cougars have several future games scheduled against SEC teams. BYU will play Missouri on Nov. 14, 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and on Nov. 7, 2020 in Provo.

The Cougars will play LSU on Sept. 2, 2017 in Houston.

McMurphy also reported that BYU and Mississippi State have a two-game series scheduled for 2016 and 2017, with the 2016 game in Provo and the 2017 game at Mississippi State. That series has not been announced by either school.

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall let it slip on Signing Day last month that talks for a home-and-home series with Ole Miss are taking place.