Oklahoma and Texas may be arriving in the SEC earlier than expected, according to a report from Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.
The report suggests there’s momentum and growing sentiment about the move. There remain many obstacles for an early move, but the “climate is right” for the Sooners and Longhorns to exit the Big 12 after the 2023 season and begin play in the SEC in 2024, according to the report.
“There’s a lot of moving parts, but there is the desire on many fronts for this to get done,” an industry source told McMurphy.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has said that he’s still working from the idea that the move would happen in 2025.
Here are some factors to explain why the timeline has moved up:
Big 12 bylaws require Oklahoma and Texas to pay the sum of the league’s distribution for two years — which is about $84 million per school, sources said. Historically, when a school leaves a conference, that exit fee is negotiated down to about 60%, meaning OU and Texas could possibly get out for about $50 million each.
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An arms race to see which conference can hoard the most teams, talent, and money.
We are apparently getting a hoops program with a wife beater in charge.
Gotta pay their buyout. I mean they could be in the SEC right now if they would just pay up what they owe. It's not difficult, and it's not a bunch of moving parts.
USC and UCLA are probably going to find the Big 10 less inviting than the PAC 12 in terms of making the postseason. I get the whole money angle behind the motivation, but that really is a perplexing move for those California schools. So much unnecessary travel and logistics to play in a tougher, colder league.
Texas and OU are about to get a deep introduction to big boy football.
I hope they lose all of their SEC games and regret switching conferences.
First time we play 'em i hope we blow them out.
My hope is the first time they play Vanderbilt Texas get blown out ;)
Texas preseason hype… the gift that keeps on giving.
Texas is back! Flat on their back. Oklahoma and the Shorthorns will continue to Oklahoma and Texas everything they do up...meaning, be horrible.
Roger that.
Wonder if Riley knew about BigTen move when he jetted to USC to avoid the SEC
Has the SEC decided the scheduling format for SEC football when OU and TU join the league? They've already approved the format for basketball where it'll be a 2-2-1-1-6-6 rotation where you have 2 permanent rivals you play both at home and away every season, 1 team you play both at home and away for that season only, 6 teams you only play at home for that season, and 6 teams you only play away for that season. But has there been an approval for SEC Football scheduling? They'll get rid of divisions (although I want divisions to stay just move Alabama and Auburn to the East and put Missouri in the West with OU and TU joining the West and expand it to a 10 game conference schedule). But when OU and TU come in, they'll either be a 1-7-7 rotation or a 3-6-6 rotation.
Hasn't been decided yet. I am thinking it will be a 9 game schedule with 3 regular opponents.
I just don’t care. I really didn’t want them in the conference anyway. Whatever happens, happens.
Try proofreading, if you are capable of reading at all.
Both fan bases were really cocky saying OU and Texas will come to the SEC and dominate from day 1. I can easily see both teams going 7-5 or 8-4 their 1st few years. Sure, they'll get better home games, but they'll find out traveling in the SEC is way different than the Big 12, especially having back-to-back road games.