Texas A&M Expected to Officially Split with Big 12: How Will It Shake Out?

We're making progress.

Last week, Texas A&M handed in a letter to the Big 12 saying it would explore the options of possibly switching conferences.

Fast forward to this week, and now the talks are that a possible switch to the SEC is more than likely going to happen, and it is excepted to take place sometime this week.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The SEC has yet to even extend an invitation to Texas A&M.

That won't even happen until the Big 12 and Texas A&M agree to both go their separate ways. Then nine of the current 12 SEC programs will have to approve for Texas A&M to gain entrance. But that might not happen until the SEC finds a 14th member for the conference to be even once again.

Although the New York Times did report that the SEC may decide to play with 13 teams in 2012 until they find the right fit.

But I highly doubt the SEC would do that. A major conference is not going to have seven teams in one division and only six in the other. Before Texas A&M joins, it will find that 14th team. Until then, the Aggies just sit and wait.

The possible teams that could pair with Texas A&M in the SEC are Maryland and North Carolina. Virginia Tech is another team that has been mentioned and makes the most sense with the quality of the program it already has in place.

The fee for the Aggies leaving the Big 12 would be between $28 million and $30 million. But that money would be made back quickly with a move to the SEC.

That's the main reason Texas A&M is leaving the Big 12 to begin with, for more exposure, TV revenue and a better chance to build its program. You can't also forget the fact that it is tired of being the Longhorns' little brother.

The move to the SEC looks like it's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.

What happens now is the real question.

This is still an ongoing process, and nothing is set in stone. For all we know, nothing could happen, and every team stays put. But you have to believe that Texas A&M has a strong feeling that it can find a new home to go through all of these extremes and make everything so public.

So, with Texas A&M leaving, it would leave the Big 12 conference with only nine teams. You can guarantee the conference will be active in trying to replace these teams and is considering adding three more teams to make the Big 12 a conference with actually 12 teams.

The teams that have been considered are Notre Dame, BYU, Pittsburgh, Arkansas, Houston, Air Force and Louisville.

Which of course would take a few teams from other conferences and shake the college football world upside down. So, needless to say this whole mess is just getting started.

The Aggies may be leaving, but the college football landscape is in for a huge shakeup, and this is just the beginning.