Big 12 announces requirement for Power 5 non-conference opponent in football

In an effort to negate scheduling concerns related to the College Football Playoffs, the Big 12 Conference announced on Tuesday a new regulation requiring member insitutions to schedule at least one power conference opponent every year in football and no more than one FBS program.

"Schedule strength is a key component in CFP Selection Committee deliberations," commented Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. "This move will strengthen the resumes for all Big 12 teams. Coupled with the nine-game full round robin Conference schedule our teams play, it will not only benefit the teams at the top of our standings each season, but will impact the overall strength of the Conference."

The rule change hardly impacts Texas at all, as the Longhorns have been adding high-quality non-conference opponents for years in setting up match ups against the likes of Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, and USC.

A certain other Big 12 school, though? Not so free and clear.

Though the requirement won't impact the schedules currently in place, negating the short-term impact, it will eventually change the way that Baylor selects opponents -- right now, the Bears only have two upcoming power conference opponents (or, as the release states, "autonomy conference institution") in 2017-18 and 2023-24. There aren't any years with multiple FBS opponents scheduled, so Baylor won't have to drop anyone, but will have to find more quality competition from 2019 to 2022.

So there won't be any more years scheduling Our Little Sisters of the Poor and Multi-Directional State U. Or years like 2016 and 2017 with no power conference opponents at all.

Every bully has to grow up some time, at least a little bit.