Texas A&M to join SEC?
The Big East is having wet dreams about the Big-12 dissolving. They want Mizzou, the Jayhawks and the wildcats in the worst way, and they could probably get them- strong basketball teams, which solve stheir first priority, and BCS football teams, which solves their chronic football team shortage. They would love to see this happen.
How big is to big? Don't they already have something like 16 or 18 teams in their basketball conference? You add 3 more and you're looking at about 20 teams in a basketball conference. That seems like a lot of logistical nightmares when it comes to scheduling.
Yep. But it's a problem that will come to a head. The football schools will either break from the basketball only schools, or force the basketball only schools to accept the new football schools. They would have to split the basketball conference into two "sub" conferences that played each sub-conference team first, with some cross over games.
It would be strange and new, whatever solution they divise, but I assure you the Big East teams are in a poorly concealed civil war. The footballs teams are going to expand or leave. They even drew a sharp line stopping Villanova, the compromise candidate , from upgrading, because it didn't real solve their problems beyond being a compromise in and of themselves. The only reason one of the two outcomes I'm describing hasn't happened is because the Big East hasn't found any schools worth assimilating, aside from TCU. Navy was an option of unrequited love (Navy doesn't need them), UCF was a strong candidate (with substantial questionmarks, especially now that the NCAA seems poised to hammer them) and every other real candidate (East Carolina, etc.) have substantial problems. If Mizzou et. all were options, the football schools would say "We expand or we die" and have done with it.
Not gonna happen. The move wouldn't be all that advantageous for them now that the Big 12 has secured its future and scored a big TV deal. A&M is also a public school and the State of Texas would never allow them to separate themselves from UT and Tech now that the Big 12 isn't going anywhere.
These are just Twitter rumors that aren't worth more that the 140 characters they're printed in.
Is this the domino that will actually cause major realignment? Everyone thought the Big Ten would start it, but NU and CU leaving the Big XII actually left the conferences relatively stable, with 4 12-team conferences, the Big XII at 10, plus the Big East with TCU coming next year.
I think this all started with Texas's Longhorn Network contract, which basically burns a trail to independence for them. If Texas goes independent, it gives cover and legitimacy to BYU and Notre Dame as independents, and they can all schedule each other and the service academies, plus traditional rivals.
Now, if TAMU does go to the SEC, they'll have to take team 14, right? Would it be Oklahoma, to expand the footprint? I think yes. According to http://www.iamthe12thman.com/2011/8/9/2353416/ags-to-sec-in-2012 , Texas Tech is begging to get into the Pac-12. If that happens, Okie State, Kansas and KSU, Missou, and Baylor are the 6 left from the Big XII. Maybe they could merge with the MWC, and add Boise State, Fresno, Wyoming, SDSU, and the rest. Would that odd collection be enough to hold onto AQ status? Otherwise, the Big XII is dead.
Another round of realignment rumors will be a lot of fun, particularly if they happen during football season, while teams are maybe playing their last games in their conference.
Regarding the last season in the conference. To leave the Big12 in 2012, A&M would have had to notify the conference by 1 July. So any realigment now might now happen into 2013, unless everything implodes and people break contracts left and right.
Edit: Over on ShaggyBevo there are claims that A&M sent a grievance letter into the Big12. Basically claiming the B12 broke the contract and thus A&M would be free to jump in 2012. So A&M might be trying to sue its way out of the conference and move in 2012.
I buy into the conspiracy theory that ESPN made certain promises to keep the dominos from falling, specifically the promise of big money to Texas for their network to keep the rest of the Big 12 together. It would be sort of funny if they spent all that money and still couldn't stop it. Though, in the end, I don't like the movement. 16 team conferences aren't good for the sport and I really don't like the idea of a 16 team Big Ten.
Wait, wouldn't this put the SEC at 13?
Site isn't working. I tried mrsec.com as well...maybe too busy?
A&M has a big rivalry with Arkansas, it would make sense. Texas, Tech, and Baylor (from the SWC) are really the reasons why A&M has stayed in the Big 12. If I remember correctly, when Texas was rumored to go to the PAC 10, A&M was rumored to go to the SEC. Clearly there is SOME truth to the rumor, question is how likely A&M is to jump ship.
Maybe Jerry Jones (Arkansas alum) works some magic to complete the move (and gets a few more games moved to Cowboy Stadium in the process)?
The thing that Texas needs to keep in mind, is what happens to all their sports? Football could probably survive as an independent, but what about basketball, baseball, etc. They have one of the better all around sports programs in the country but to think all those programs could survive as an independent might be unrealistic.
I don't think there are any really big name programs that are independents in basketball or baseball - or really any sport other than football.
I bet there would be a landing spot for those teams in the WAC of CUSA. They might not like that, but I doubt the people running the athletic department care.
What if Michigan went independent in football and sent every other sport to the MAC? Texas wouldn't send their sports down like that. Maybe the MWC though? Still probably not
http://twitter.com/edsbs/statuses/101020484849762304[
"Hey, ignore the rumors: Texas A&M is staying just where it is, y'all. http://sbn.to/qo2YRA"
EDSBS got through two paragraphs (quoted from the AP, but still) before returning to satire, so it must be serious.
I'd read those first two paragraphs again...
This is all sickening.