SEC Expansion: Texas A&M Football Looking Around, but Is SEC the Only Option?

Texas A&M football has made it official: They are exploring options to leave the Big 12 at some point in the near future.  They made headlines earlier this year when it was reported that they would be moving to the SEC.

The SEC officials met and discussed the issue, and chose not to invite the Aggies into the conference at the time.  They said they were happy with the current lineup of teams, but were not going to rule out future expansion as a possibility.

Dan Beebe, the commissioner of the Big 12, received word today out of Texas A&M that the Aggies would explore their options about leaving the conference.

Part of this may stem from the fact that Texas is getting the Longhorn Network, which is seen by many as a good way to boost revenue and a recruiting advantage.  Texas doesn’t really need to get a recruiting advantage, as they annually have one of the best classes in the nation.

The obvious landing spot for Texas A&M would be the SEC, as rumored earlier this month.  The SEC would probably invite at least two teams to keep the conferences even in the East and the West.  Other possible candidates mentioned have been Florida State, Clemson and Missouri.

Another possible landing spot may be the Big Ten, although that is a little less likely considering the conference has just finished expanding to 12 teams with the addition of Nebraska.

It’s unlikely that any other conferences would really make sense geographically for the Aggies to move to, and the front-runner should still be the SEC.  The conference has been in the driver’s seat for several years now as the best conference in America.  They recruit very well and have won five BCS championships in a row.

That in itself could help the Aggies make the decision to choose the SEC as a landing spot.  Playing the best teams in the best conference in America could be a big draw for recruits and may help Texas A&M land some of the nation’s top players.

If A&M is looking to make a big splash and emerge once again as an elite program, the SEC is the place for them to be.  They will be put on a national stage because of the agreement between the SEC and ESPN.  This relationship will also be integral to luring recruits to wear the A&M uniform.

Texas A&M claims to be exploring their options, but it would appear that they really only have one option: The Aggies will be SEC-bound in the near future.