College football Twitter was shook and intrigued by a report suggesting Texas and Oklahoma have reached out to join the SEC.
A quiet afternoon for the college football world turned into a frenzy as the Houston Chronicle dropped a conference realignment bombshell.
According to the report, Big 12 powers Texas and Oklahoma have reached out to the SEC about joining the league and creating a 16-team superconference.
Realignment of that type would change the college football landscape considerably and almost certainly spell the doom of the Big 12, which would be left with eight teams and neither of their traditional juggernauts.
An announcement about the potential realignment could be coming in the next few weeks according to the Chronicle’s report.
Naturally, college football Twitter reacted with calm without any use of all-caps. Right?
Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC is a potential game-changer
College realignment rumors pic.twitter.com/0G4gtUMxhO
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) July 21, 2021
REALIGNMENTPALOOZA 2021 LET’S DO THIS https://t.co/NhW8y7ommh
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) July 21, 2021
Bless you, college football content gods. https://t.co/kerljAAyVE
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 21, 2021
Texas every day since 1996: the Big 12 must do exactly what we want.
— Charles Evans (@banditref) July 21, 2021
Texas today: someone has ruined this conference and we want out. https://t.co/3yVwaEsU3p
That idea didn’t enthuse Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork.
Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork on news that Texas and OU could be coming to the SEC: “We want to be the only SEC team from the state of Texas.”
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 21, 2021
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey declined t comment, only saying they’re focused on the 2021 football season.
SEC commish Greg Sankey on Houston Chronicle report about Texas, Oklahoma enquiring about joining the SEC: “We are only worried about the 2021 season. Somebody dropped a report from unnamed people”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 21, 2021
The fate of the Big 12 was a definite talking point.
Leaving the Big 12 for the SEC would make qualifying for the College Football Playoff that much tougher, tweets Yahoo!’s Pete Thamel.
Any notion of OU and Texas going to the SEC would be news to the Big 12. There's a feeling it wouldn't make sense competitively, as there'd be a much more difficult road to the College Football Playoff.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 21, 2021
so is there a way to do this while also never playing aTm again? that's the solution i'm looking for.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) July 21, 2021
also, this would spell immediate death for the big 12. like, IMMEDIATE. https://t.co/ddDN1QtIFo
But the Big 12 is fun! https://t.co/qNQNpJDra5
— Rob Bowron (@beta_rank_fb) July 21, 2021
Big 12 headquarters currently pic.twitter.com/RCErdzDkh5
— Austin Biggers (@AustinBiggs24) July 21, 2021
Other leagues would undoubtedly be pulled into the drama.
Don't know that this will happen, but if it did, would the Pac-12 or Big 10 try to take the Big 12's leftovers? https://t.co/wshwcbfqOx
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) July 21, 2021
For the sake of argument, if the SEC were to add Texas and Oklahoma, of the remaining 8 Big 12 schools only Kansas and Iowa State are AAU schools and would be leading candidates to join a 16-team Big Ten rather than expanded Pac-12 IMO. Don't see Pac-12 adding non-AAUs.
— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) July 21, 2021
Would Oklahoma, Texas really leave for the SEC?
Some reports indicate there’s more that just rumors and there is indeed smoke or fire depending on the source.
Talking to sources right now about Texas and OU possibly headed to the SEC.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) July 21, 2021
There's definite fire, not smoke.
I reached out to a high-ranking Texas official and asked for comment about the school's interest in joining the SEC. The response was "nothing to say." Typically, officials are eager to shoot down false reports. Might be smoke to this fire.
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) July 21, 2021
One thing to keep in mind is that Big 12 TV contract with ESPN/Fox extends for another four years. So does the grant of rights. Don't know how Texas and Oklahoma get around that to leave for SEC before then. Sure it's possible but ...
— Chuck Carlton (@ChuckCarltonDMN) July 21, 2021
Name, Image and Likeness legislation made this offseason intriguing enough, with players finally allowed to get a piece of the financial pie. The formation of superconferences is an equally world-changing proposal. The changes for college football aren’t going to slow down any time soon, it seems.
Of course, realignment opportunities have been floated before without coming to fruition. This could be a power play by Texas and Oklahoma. Joining the SEC would give them an entirely different platform than before, but it would also take them off the top of the mountain in terms of power over a conference. There’s no bullying Alabama or LSU when it comes to decision-making.
It could also lead to other solutions involving other conferences with other forms of realignment tossed into the pot. It should be fun to see it all play out.
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.