Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference

[Chris]

Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference
By Brent Zwerneman
Staff writer
July 21, 2021

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 reached out to the Southeastern Conference about 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 national superconference.

“Speculation swirls around collegiate athletics,” UT responded in a statement Wednesday. “We will not address rumors or speculation.”

OU, in its own similar statement, offered: “The college athletics landscape is shifting constantly. We don’t address every anonymous rumor.”

ALSO SEE: Texas A&M's move to the SEC more complicated, book reveals

Texas A&M exited the Big 12 nine years ago this month, as did Missouri, giving the SEC 14 teams, its number ever 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.

more............ https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...a-reach-out-to-SEC-about-joining-16330080.php

 

[Chris]

This is crazy. I don't think Texas A&M wants it. I can't blame them. I wonder what Missouri thinks?

 

[RonJohnSilver]

TAMU wants to be the only Texas team in the SEC. They weren't the best team when they were here and when UT and OU join, and they eventually will, TAMU won't be best in that league either. It does put the Big 12 in some distress. UT and OU were the biggest draws and it put the other teams into kind of a second tier league. That would affect player recruitment since the best want to play against the best. And, does the Big 12 now add two teams and, if so, who? A mess for sure. The main issue, of course, is money. Get more, share none.

 

[3 Nails 4 Given]

Come on down two more teams for Alabama to beat up on

 

[jots]

A little insight about UT, Longhorn Network, and creation of B12. I must state beforehand that I am a longtime Longhorn fan, so...

When the LHN was being contemplated, Texas met with both TAMU, and Oklahoma, and to my knowledge no other conference team, although I don't know for a fact if there were any others or not. A&M felt the cost's associated with building the network would not be profitable and declined the offer. Oklahoma declined, saying that they were looking into building their own network as well. UT went ahead on their own, investing their own money to build and brand LHN. Oklahoma obviously never moved forward with their network but has since become the best team in the B12, and it's not even close as of now! Much respect for what OU has done on the field.

When LHN signed the big agreement with ESPN, now all of a sudden everyone was mad at UT. Especially so A&M. They were mad for two reasons.

One that the revenue wasn't divided among member teams (although they had the opportunity to be partners but declined because of the expense involved), but figured they deserved the proceeds from such anyway. Go figure!

Two, and I agree that this was a legitimate reason that made UT look bad, was that LHN had plans to film high school football games and possibly have interviews of key recruits that UT wanted. That never materialized as Texas gave in on that. And I am glad they didn't follow through with it.

Concerning the SWC joining the B8 conference, Nebraska fans became livid at Texas's demands that one condition of joining would be to do away with the B8's non-academically qualifying standards to play sports. Every team in the SWC had requirements for student athletes to meet academically, whereas the Big 8 did not. So speaking of how many fans believe the LHN is unfair, how unfair would that have been for any team that wasn't originally a member of the Big8! That's mostly why Tom Osborne had such great teams, they didn't have to recruit to meet academic standards. I think that was a very reasonable demand (imagine, a student athlete actually having to make grades and qualify, lol), unfortunately Nebraska fans see it differently to this day, therefore the animosity towards UT. Notice they have'nt done much on the field since. And Osborne made a quick departure from coaching afterwards.

Oh, and as far as the horns down lol, I know of no Longhorn fan that is offended by that hahaha! It's pretty old by now, we just roll our eyes. Besides, when a bull is ready to fight what does it do? He puts his horns down!

 

[SkyRider]

They don't want to reconsider and join a pushover conference instead?

 

[SkyRider]

Come on down two more teams for Alabama to beat up on

That reminds me a pastor we used to have at our local church. He was from Alabama and went to college there, and he used to love to rib all the Vols fans whenever the two teams would meet. Of course the hapless Vols were always crushed by them every time they played. So, one Sunday, after another lopsided win by Alabama in Knoxville, he starts off his sermon with: “ please open your bibles and turn to Alabama 43:17”. Of course, we all had a good chuckle over that.

 

[DWB]

Come on down two more teams for Alabama to beat up on

LSU, Ga, Fla, and even Aub will join in the beatings. Other than Vandy, there are no easy SEC games.

 

[DWB]

This is a home run for the SEC although I dislike change.

But, I think the NIL allowing players to earn money will be the death of college football. It's no longer about young men wanting to play ball while getting an education, it will be all about the money. What will these kids do, study for their basket weaving test ( I mean Chemistry), or go film a commercial? Go to the weight room or go look at new cars? Hopefully the game won't change for the worse too much before the Rapture or God calls me home through the valley of death.

Other than the Lord and my family, college football (Roll Tide) is the one thing I look forward to all year. Just so folks won't think I pull for Bama due to their recent success, both my parents graduated from there, my sister was born there, I was conceived there, and went to school there in the late 70's. It's in my blood.

 

[3 Nails 4 Given]

This is a home run for the SEC although I dislike change.

But, I think the NIL allowing players to earn money will be the death of college football. It's no longer about young men wanting to play ball while getting an education, it will be all about the money. What will these kids do, study for their basket weaving test ( I mean Chemistry), or go film a commercial? Go to the weight room or go look at new cars? Hopefully the game won't change for the worse too much before the Rapture or God calls me home through the valley of death.

Other than the Lord and my family, college football (Roll Tide) is the one thing I look forward to all year. Just so folks won't think I pull for Bama due to their recent success, both my parents graduated from there, my sister was born there, I was conceived there, and went to school there in the late 70's. It's in my blood.

It’s happening already, I just read a article about a talented 5 star recruit being recruited by oSu. He’s being offered big $ to skip his senior year of high school to start playing college football.
They have ruined college football with the paying kids option.

Now it’s gonna be corporate endorsement football. University of Amazon, EbayU, UoFCoke, etc…

 

[DWB]

This is crazy. I don't think Texas A&M wants it. I can't blame them. I wonder what Missouri thinks?

Can we trade Missouri and Vanderbilt for UT and OU?