Multiple news outlets, including ESPN and OrangeBloods.com, are reporting that the Texas Longhorns have decided to stay in the Big 12. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M also agreed to stay in the league.
Texas had been contemplating a move to the Pac-10, with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech following whatever path the Longhorns chose. But Texas has decided to stay put in the Big 12 in light of a new television deal that could earn the Longhorns $20 to $25 million per year.
The Texas A&M Aggies were rumored to join the SEC if the Longhorns bolted to the Pac-10. Their decision to stay in the Big 12 will net them about $20 million per year in TV revenue, as will the Oklahoma Sooners.
There has been no word yet on whether the Big 12 will try to add two additional schools to bring their number back to 12. Without 12 schools, the conference cannot stage and profit from a championship game.
Meanwhile, the Utah Utes may now be sought after to join the Pac-10, which currently stands at 11 schools after the recent addition of Colorado. It is believed that the Pac-10 wants to get to 12 schools in order to hold their own conference championship game.
According to Dan Beebe, the Big 12 is not looking to expand. There were some rumors about Arkansas joining the Big 12, but the Arkansas AD issued a press release today stating they are staying in the SEC.
My understanding concerning the Big 12 championship game is that Beebe may petition the NCAA for a waiver to continue the game, even with 10 teams in the conference. That is if the Big 12 wants to continue the game.
move OU and OSU to north division and invite tcu and la tech(ikr LOL) to make it a 12 conf again
that would be bad a#@!!!
Sorry BIGDAWG but T.C.U. went to the Big East. Maybe Ark. and Houston.
Big 12 will have to do something. If they choose not to add 2 more teams the Big 12 will be a thing of the past………
If OU and OSU went to the north, I wonder who would go to the championship to represent the south every year? Apart from to occasional Texas Tech, Texas would be a constant. I prefer my Cowboys over Sooners, but Texas-OU game is always a good game, and usually decides the south’s champ. Osu going North would be a good thing, because it would actually produce a decent contender for the title. Nebraska was the only legitimate power in the north with a rare Kansas State or Missouri being good. In the South, you have 3 schools that are historic powerhouses in Texas, OU, and Texas A&M. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are on the rise to become powerhouses. In the North, now Nebraska is gone, the only two teams with good programs are Kansas State and Missouri. Basically, the south is like the SEC and the North is like the WAC, with Mizzou and Kansas State being Boise and Nevada, respectively.