Texas A&M: Making Sense of the Big 12/SEC Dramatics

The 2011 college football season is fast approaching, but talk of SEC expansion has grabbed the nation's attention.

Whether your allegiance is with the Big 12, the SEC or anywhere else will cause wide-ranging points of view.

First, let's tackle the Big 12's outlook:

Dan Beebe (Big 12 commissioner) has been fighting for his league's stability since Nebraska and Colorado jumped ship last season for the Big 10 (12) and Pac-12 respectively. Now, he has a bigger issue.

Texas A&M has followed suit and acknowledged that the University of Texas' $300 million contract with ESPN will cause the Big 12 to crash and burn. The Longhorn Network is a great achievement for the University, but will no doubt force the other money-generating schools in the league to blow town.

Beebe and the Big 12 better hope another team (like Clemson, Florida State or Missouri) can't come to an agreement with the SEC because that is their only shot of keeping Texas A&M around past this season.

Why does the SEC want Texas A&M?

Texas A&M is an attractive option for the Southeastern Conference for a number of reasons.

1.)  The Houston and Dallas media markets play a huge role in the SEC's westward expansion.  By adding Texas A&M, the SEC will instantly grab two very large markets that are a stronghold for the Aggie faithful.

2.)  Texas is the nation's best source for college football/basketball talent. The state is littered with 18 year olds that can flat out play. Every school in the SEC would benefit from this expansion in terms of recruiting.

3.)  There are schools in the Big 12 with a bigger brand and more recent football success than Texas A&M, but there are none that fit the culture of the tradition laden SEC. The Aggies will have a much easier time adapting to the tailgate rituals of the SEC than they will on the field, but luckily for A&M, Mike Sherman has them in position to legitimately challenge OU for the Big 12 crown in 2011.

Why does Texas A&M want to be in the SEC?

Well, that's easy...better competition.

If you want to be the best, then you must beat the best. That is a very tall order for the Aggies, but just playing in the SEC will give Texas A&M a huge recruiting advantage to combat Texas' network. Mike Sherman can sit down with the nation's most prolific players and tell them that they can play in the best league in the nation without leaving the state.

Let's pretend for a moment that this whole thing isn't about football. Texas A&M would be getting into the SEC West, which would offer a great opportunity to win conference championships in basketball. Kentucky and Florida are first rate programs, but compete in the East.

Baseball is a similar story. While the Big 12 is no slouch on the diamond, the South Carolina Gamecocks have just completed back-to-back College World Series championships.

All in all, Texas A&M will benefit from a move to the SEC in the long-term to get out of Texas' ever-growing shadow as "America's team," albeit self-proclaimed. It will generate excitement in fans with road football games to some of the nation's top programs and will offer an opportunity to share their own traditions with the SEC in return.

The Big 12 is a ticking time bomb, so sit back and watch the last year of the league as we know it. Better days (and better teams) are coming to College Station, Texas, so get your SECede signs ready for Kyle Field's opening contest against SMU on September 4th.