https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-s...330080.php

HOOVER, Ala. — A decade after major conference realignment shook up college football, big changes might again be on the horizon.

Texas and Oklahoma of the Big 12 have both reached out to the Southeastern Conference about potentially joining the powerful league, a high-ranking college official with knowledge of the situation told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday.

An announcement could come within a couple of weeks concerning the potential addition of UT and OU to the league, the person said, which would give the SEC 16 schools and make it the first of a national super-conference.

Texas A&M exited the Big 12 nine years ago this month, and along with Big 12 ex Missouri gave the SEC 14 teams, which it has been at since. UT’s addition to the SEC would also mean the Aggies and Longhorns would again meet annually on the football field for the first time since 2011.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey declined comment.

A Texas spokesman said he was unaware of any discussions and had no comment.

The Big 12’s TV contract with ESPN and Fox expires in 2025.

SEC West
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Louisiana St.
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Missouri

SEC East
Alabama
Auburn
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

A couple weeks? When there’s not even been a credible whisper of this? Whoa boy, this reporter is putting his career on the line with this scoop.

Well, if this came to pass it would be a game changer.

(07-21-2021 02:58 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  

so the lowest defense ready condition?

(07-21-2021 02:58 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  

Even with the link going to the Houston Chronicle, I kept waiting for it to be some kind of hoax.

Quote:Texas and Oklahoma of the Big 12 have both reached out to the Southeastern Conference about potentially joining the powerful league, a high-ranking college official with knowledge of the situation told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday.

I wonder who this "high-ranking college official," how serious the discussions are (if true), and whether sharing that information would kill the opportunity. If true, the SEC comes a to full stop.

East: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
West: Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi St, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M

---

I would presume the XII backfills to 10 (Cincinnati, Houston) or goes to 12 (BYU, Central Florida) but its more fun to speculate how the XII dissolves.

B1G + Iowa St, Kansas
PAC + Kansas St, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas Tech
ACC + Cincinnati, West Virginia
AAC - Cincinnati + Baylor, BYU (football)

B1G
East: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan St, Ohio St, Penn St, Purdue, Rutgers
West: Illinois, Iowa, Iowa St, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

PAC
East: California, Oregon, Oregon St, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington St
West: Arizona, Arizona St, Colorado, Kansas St, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah

ACC
Atlantic: Boston College, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida St, Louisville, North Carolina St, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Coastal: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
* Non-Football: Notre Dame

AAC
East: Central Florida, East Carolina, Memphis, South Florida, Temple, Tulane
West: Baylor, BYU*, Houston, Navy*, SMU, Tulsa
* Football-Only
** Non-Football: Wichita St

Someone doesn't like the idea...

Quote:Ross Dellenger
@RossDellenger

Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork on news that Texas and OU could be coming to the SEC: “We want to be the only SEC team from the state of Texas.”

12:49 PM · Jul 21, 2021 from Hoover, AL · Twitter for iPhone

The article is behind a paywall, but Brent Zwerneman is the A&M beat writer for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He's covered A&M for a long time, going back to Big 12 days. He's pretty plugged in.

Sankey's no comment sounds like he knows what's up. There is no denial.

Sounds like A&M is going to be outvoted on this.

SEC to 16 and I presume the B1G/PAC will try to do the same.

SEC (Texas, OU)
B1G (Kansas, Virginia)
PAC (OSU, TT, TCU, Baylor)
ACC (WVU)
XII (SMU, Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston Tulane, Tulsa) join KSU/ISU in 8 team conference.

Could lead to 4 Conferences of 16

(07-21-2021 03:08 PM)johnintx Wrote:  The article is behind a paywall, but Brent Zwerneman is the A&M beat writer for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He's covered A&M for a long time, going back to Big 12 days. He's pretty plugged in.

Sankey's no comment sounds like he knows what's up. There is no denial.

Sounds like A&M is going to be outvoted on this.

13 - 1 on the roll call.

They will abstain due to protocol on the official vote which is unanimous.

What was it ole Dandy Don used to sing, "Turn out the lights the party's over!"

Still, the dance has only just begun and now the partners have to keep from stepping on each other's toes. And I might add if Aggy leaked it early they may be trying to sabotage the deal.

(07-21-2021 03:11 PM)curtis0620 Wrote:  Could lead to 4 Conferences of 16

I’m not seeing it. There aren’t 4 AAU schools that would being tv eyeballs to the PAC 12 among the remains of the Big 12.

Well---this makes a hell of a lot more sense than Texas and Oklahoma to the Pac12. Ive been of the opinion that the Big-12 is the perfect place for both Texas and Oklahoma. Great geography and a an easy route to the playoff. Texas gets to keep the LHN---whcih they could never keep if they move to any league with a conference network. If this happens, the Big12 might be best off just adding BYU and stopping there at 9. Nice 8 game round robin and you dont dilute whats left. The real issue could be further poaching by the Pac12. I dont think anyone else would poach any of the remaining pieces if the Pac-12 takes out Tech and Oklahoma St.

SEC fans—if Sankey pulls this off, congratulations, you just won college football.

(07-21-2021 03:00 PM)MidknightWhiskey Wrote:  

(07-21-2021 02:58 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  

so the lowest defense ready condition?

I'm not ready to go Threat Level Midnight based on that one reporter's take. Will ratchet things up should facts on the ground change, LOL. This also makes no sense --- OU will have the inside track for an autobid to the 12 team playoff as Big XII champ. As for the Horns, the SEC doesn't have a tie-in with the Alamo Bowl and would almost assuredly make them drop LHN and move the Tier 3 rights to the SEC Network, so even with all the money in the world, the grass may not be greener for UT (assuming A&M doesn't blackball them).

whats the benefit for Texas and OU with the new expanded playoff?

(07-21-2021 03:19 PM)ballantyneapp Wrote:  whats the benefit for Texas and OU with the new expanded playoff?

(07-21-2021 03:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  13 - 1 on the roll call.

They will abstain due to protocol on the official vote which is unanimous.

What was it ole Dandy Don used to sing, "Turn out the lights the party's over!"

Still, the dance has only just begun and now the partners have to keep from stepping on each other's toes. And I might add if Aggy leaked it early they may be trying to sabotage the deal.

I think you're on to something re: A&M. They very well could have leaked this through their beat reporter to sabotage the deal. Apart from the money and stability, their reason for being in the SEC is to establish a separate identity apart from Texas. No school identifies more with the SEC than Texas A&M, not even the founding members. They love being in the SEC and they especially love being in the SEC without Texas.

But, at the end of the day, they're outvoted on this. The OU/Texas package is too big to refuse.

I look forward to being part of the SEC.