Texas A&M and SEC Expansion: What Does It Mean for LSU?

This top conference in college football is getting even better, and this could be just the start of things to come.

Late Tuesday night, the SEC (Southeastern Conference) unanimously voted to accept Texas A&M as the league's 13th member. After a nasty divorce from the Big 12, the Aggies anticipate to begin play in the SEC as soon as next season.

With the addition of Texas A&M, the SEC now has 13 member schools and will likely be in search of a 14th so they can maintain a conference championship format. Some of the schools that have been tossed around as potential candidates include: Florida State, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, among others.

So now we ask, what does this move mean for LSU?

Essentially, this adds the same element to LSU as it does to every other already-established SEC school from a competition standpoint. It makes the toughest conference in college football that much more competitive.

From a geographic standpoint, it actually benefits LSU because the states of Louisiana and Texas border each other. That would not be the case however if say Clemson or Virgina Tech joined the SEC conference.

From a playing standpoint, LSU is a national championship-caliber program, while Texas A&M has not reached that status at this point in time. That became more than evident in the Tigers' 41-24 blowout victory over the Aggies in last season's AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Texas A&M is a growing program, but still a work in progress that will likely take a few blows and bruises within those first couple of years in the SEC.

Florida State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are all national powerhouses and would add a challenge, but also prestige to what is already the most competitive conference in football.

Expect more moves to come soon, and LSU should be waiting there with open arms.