SEC Expansion Plans: Texas A&M Will Not Be Asked to Join the SEC

In light of the latest rumors and talks regarding Texas A&M's interest in leaving the Big 12 and joining the SEC, the SEC presidents met on Sunday to discuss whether the conference was interested in expansion at this time or holding tight with the current 12 member institutions.

For any SEC expansion to take place, it requires a vote of nine to three by the conference presidents, and although no specific count was not revealed, committee chairman Bernie Machen of the University of Florida made a public statement that the SEC has opted to stay with the current 12 members for now, but changes are still a possibility in the future.  

In my opinion, Texas A&M's new found desire and attempt to join the SEC  is really a case of poor timing on their part.  

Had they pursued the SEC's overtures last year when conference realignment was going on, I think they probably would have joined the conference.   

Last year's conference upheavals began in the Big 12 when the Pac-10 tried to entice the University of Texas to join them in developing a new super conference.  

As a result, the Big Ten joined in on stealing or raiding a weakened Big 12 conference by inviting Nebraska and even pursuing  Missouri to join them.

Nebraska did accept the Big Ten's offer, and they have left the Big 12, but the Missouri deal failed to materialize.    

As a bargaining tool for more power within the Big 12, Texas wanted its own network contract with ESPN, and they obviously used the Pac-10 offer to serve their interests.

The Texas Network was a big bone of contention with Texas A&M and Oklahoma, and consequently, they both considered a departure and the SEC was strongly considered as the new conference of choice.   

Even though the Pac-10 was unsuccessful in luring the Texas Longhorns, they were able to entice the University of Colorado Buffaloes to accept their invitation.

In the middle of all of the reshuffling of conferences, the SEC did not want to be left out of the conference wars, so they flirted and made overtures to Texas A&M, Oklahoma and several others to join them in creating their own version of a super conference.   

But all of these conference wars suddenly came to a halt when the Texas Longhorns decided to stay put in the Big 12 and keep it united. The big catch in this deal was that the Big 12 would have to allow the Longhorns to sign their network contract with ESPN. 

In order to keep the Big 12 in tack and heal the wounds of losing Nebraska and Colorado, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe had little choice but to grant the demands of the Longhorns.  

Although this seemed to end the threat of a Big 12 breakup, once the Longhorns began to make their TV contract with ESPN a reality starting this August, the old sores and wounds with Texas A&M and even Oklahoma to some extent started to open up again.

As a result, we find ourselves with the current situation where A&M wants to consider leaving the Big 12, and Oklahoma is not a really happy camper either.    

The SEC's latest statements regarding the conference's intentions to not ask Texas A&M to join the SEC should not be con screwed that the conference would not like to have Texas A&M as a new member, but rather their timing for this move and the fact they are acting alone are the main reasons for the current SEC position.

Had there been other schools also looking to join the SEC, then there could have been balance within the SEC divisions, and I think the SEC would have taken a completely different attitude towards expansion.  

But since the Aggies are in this alone their membership would give the SEC and odd number of members with 13, and that simply will not work.

Had Oklahoma joined in with Texas A&M to approach the SEC, the result would most certainly have been different. 

While I certainly understand and for the most part agree with the SEC presidents, it is still a shame that a great institution like Texas A&M with its long football history and its 12th man tradition will not be asked to join the SEC.

I am sure we can all remember that old Bear Bryant was a strong figure at Texas A&M with his Junction city boys before the Bear ever became the legendary coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

Unlike most Big 12 teams, the Aggies are geographically located close enough to most SEC schools, and their strong defensive style of play is very similar to that played by most SEC teams.

Of all of the current SEC schools, LSU would be the one that would benefit most from having Texas A&M join the SEC.  

The Tigers and Aggies have played each other since 1819 and these two teams have established a very intense rivalry over the years.   

In spite of the recent turn of events with the SEC, Texas A&M's discontent with the Big 12 will most likely continue to grow, and the Aggies are simply a team looking for another place to go.

Unless cancelled, there is still the meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Austin, Texas where A&M, Slive of the SEC, Beebe of the Big 12, and other state officials are to meet and discuss the situation with Texas A&M and their future plans.

Now that the SEC has made it's position clear, and they will not ask Texas A&M to join the conference, this meeting is sure to take on an entirely different meaning and agenda from the one previously planned.  

Despite the public statement by Bernie Machen and the SEC committee, I still feel the SEC will renew it's interest in Texas A&M and that could be sooner rather than later if other teams like Oklahoma, Clemson and/or Florida State show a serious interest in joining the SEC.

But for now, the SEC will continue to be the same old SEC.