My thoughts only.

The Big 10 and Pac 12 are working together to control college athletics. Their ultimate goal is for there to be three conferences of 22-24 teams each:

Big 10
Pac 12
SEC

If that ever happens, the Rose Bowl allies will form a voting block to rule college sports

As evidence, I present the Big 10 raid of the ACC for Maryland, the Big 10 raid of the Big 12 for Nebraska, and the Big 10's overtures towards UNC, UVA, Ga Tech & Fla St. In addition, see the attempted Pac 12 raid of the Big 12.

In the future, watch for the Big 10 and Pac 12 to continue to try and destabilize the ACC and Big 12. For example, see the Big 10 moving its basketball title game to Washington, DC.

I'm not sure the SEC knew what was going on when they took Missouri and A&M. Or maybe they did and took a calculated gamble. But they certainly know it now and will fight like hell to keep college sports at 5 or 4 "power leagues."

Which is why you see the SEC starting to partner with the Big12 (for the Sugar Bowl, etc), and the ACC. Not only do they want to help those leagues survive, the SEC is trying to establish its own voting block now to rule over the Rose Bowl allies in the current reform agenda.