There's been a lot of banter this week surrounding the Big XII media days about some of the members bolting the conference after this year. The main reason for all the talk is the start of the new Texas Longhorn Network. UT is set to make millions of dollars in its television collaboration with ESPN which will give the Horns an overwhelming perceived advantage. The speculation is that Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri would seek greener pastures, namely the Southeastern Conference. There is always the possibility of UT going independent and leaving the other nine Big XII members trying to keep the current membership and adding new ones like TCU, SMU or Boise State. We know A&M, OU and Mizzou have previously engaged in talks with the SEC and Big Ten when Nebraska and Colorado bolted dropping the Big 12 to the Big One and Nine others. The SEC would likely welcome A&M and OU for a multitude of reasons, but OSU and MU are also attractive. If the SEC were to expand to 14 or even 16 let's say by 2013 or 2014, how would you divide the conference? Would you slide Alabama and Auburn over to the Eastern Division, then place the four new members in the West? Could you imagine LSU playing A&M again on a yearly basis in a conference game? Some fun stuff to ponder.
The SEC ain't broke. It don't need fixin'. We have too many title contenders already in the SEC. We beat each other up all the time. The last thing we need is to add four more contenders.
The thing I hate most about this thought, despite adding A&M's consistent whining, would be the impact on LSU's Texas recruiting...we're the closest SEC school...why would we want to allow A&M to add that to their recruiting resume?
I don't want A&M in the SEC because their fan base is a bunch of egotistical jerk offs with an inferiority complex...
The only thing that would make me think about supporting this is putting an end to permanent opponent.
I've never met a fanbase more butthurt over good ol' fashioned gameday ribbing a la Tiger Bait than aTm. I have a friend on FB who was born in BR, loved LSU in HS and went to aTm for undergrad. After the game he said he would never cheer for LSU ever again because of how our fans "treated" theirs. I said good riddance, LSU Football is a man sport...aTm football is a hobby. We don't need pansy fans anyways, they can keep their Kool-Aid. And, yes, I've been to multiple games in College Station...had a scholarship to join the Corps. Went to LSU instead despite the horrendous out-of-date tuition.
I agree with all of the above although the SEC may be forced to react if the other conferences grow to 16 teams. The Big 12 is the league that appears to be the most imminent threat of breaking up and filtering out to other conferences. Hopefully the SEC stays strong with 12 and maintains the status as the best conference to help with BCS consideration (esp getting a 2nd BCS team most years).
