Conference Realignment: Missouri's Departure from Big 12 to SEC Appears Imminent

In these days of college football conference realignment, there are no dull moments.

The next non-dull moment could very well involve Missouri leaving the Big 12 for the SEC. The school has been known to be exploring the possibility, but it now sounds like Missouri is actively seeking a move to the SEC.

We know this courtesy of a report from The New York Times, which cites a source who says Missouri's decision to apply for SEC membership is “inevitable and imminent."

No specific time frame for a move to the SEC is in place, but the decision process will start on Thursday. Missouri's Board of Curators will meet on both Thursday and Friday, and they are expected to begin the process of withdrawing from the Big 12 and applying to the SEC.

As soon as Missouri applies, it expects "no problems" earning the SEC's approval. Because the conference has already agreed to accept Texas A&M into its midst, Missouri would round out the SEC's ranks to an even 14 schools.

If and when Missouri leaves, the Big 12 will be back down to nine teams. The conference recently added TCU, but Missouri could very well be the fourth team to leave the conference in the last year. In addition to Texas A&M leaving for the SEC, the Big 12 also lost Colorado to the Pac-12 and Nebraska to the Big Ten.

The report from the Times states that Missouri could begin competing in the SEC as soon as 2012. If so, the Big 12 will have to move quickly to find a replacement for Missouri.

It appears that is another non-dull moment waiting to happen.