Univ. of Oklahoma regents will hold a "regularly scheduled meeting" at Rogers State Univ. on Monday, and a source said it is "very likely" conference realignment will be discussed, according to John Hoover of the TULSA WORLD. An OU regent said that the meeting "was changed from a Monday-Tuesday event to Monday only 'because they've got so much going on.'" It has been "widely speculated that the fate of the Big 12 rested with OU once Texas A&M was formally welcomed" by the SEC, and yesterday SEC Commissioner Mike Slive "all but brought the Aggies into the fold." Slive said, "We remain optimistic that Texas A&M will be a member of the SEC and have started to look at schedules for 2012-13 involving 13 teams." Reports have indicated that OU "plans to pursue Pac-12 membership along with Oklahoma State." Hoover notes the Pac-12 "hasn't issued invitations to OU and OSU -- or anyone else for that matter -- but that could be a formality as the conference covers its legal bases by waiting for any potential members to declare their intention to leave the Big 12 first" (TULSA WORLD, 9/13). ORANGEBLOODS.com's Chip Brown reported OU "will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit." A source said that if OU "follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up." The source added that OSU will also apply to join the Pac-12 "even though OSU President Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday" (ORANGEBLOODS.com, 9/12).
PACIFIC PUSH: In Austin, Bohls & Trubow report Univ. of Texas President Bill Powers, men's AD DeLoss Dodds and women's AD & Dir of External Services Chris Plonsky on Sunday flew to OU for a meeting "with one hope: Find a creative solution to save the Big 12." But a source said that before UT officials arrived, OU's board of regents "had instructed school President David L. Boren to prepare a document to formally apply for admission to the Pac-12." A Big-12 source said, "There's nothing Texas could have offered Oklahoma that would have changed their mind. They were set on leaving the Big 12 before Texas got there." But there is "no guarantee the Pac-12 will extend an invitation." Bohls & Trubow note if the Big 12 "implodes, Texas would have to decide between pushing for membership in the Pac-12 or Atlantic Coast Conference or turning independent." A UT source said that the ACC "has been in contact with Texas, but added that talks hadn't progressed to a mature phase." There also is "still that tiny LHN issue." The Pac-12 "wants nothing to do with it, at least not in its current Texas-sized form," and Texas "can't see past its potential." A UT source said, "It's possible these [broadcast] rights are still undervalued. Who knows what the future holds in terms of their value. Texas was smart to realize this, and that's one reason they don't want to give up the LHN" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATEMAN, 9/13).
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE: In N.Y., Pete Thamel, reports the Big 12 meeting Sunday "did not got well; the Texas officials returned to Austin and reported little progress." A Big 12 source said, "Oklahoma wasn't as receptive as Texas had hoped. That doesn't mean it's the end of it." Thamel notes there is "growing sentiment in Pac-12 circles that it would be difficult to accept the Oklahoma universities, but it is difficult to underestimate the persuasive powers of Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott." Academically, OU and OSU "lag far behind top Pac-12 universities." UT went to the meeting with OU "willing to discuss equal revenue sharing and signing over a 'grant of rights' of media properties." But with the LHN issues "still looming, the longtime rivals remain far apart" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/13). In San Antonio, Tim Griffin reports UT is "offering to pool revenues from its Tier 1 football television games (those broadcast on ABC and ESPN) as a way to equalize revenue for the remaining Big 12 teams if they stick together." Pooling revenues "would not affect the money generated by the Longhorn Network for UT's Tier III games in its 15-year, $300 million contract with ESPN" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 9/13).
THE RIGHT FIT: Slive said yesterday that the SEC is "not currently looking to expand beyond Texas A&M." He said the conference has no "immediate plans" to add a 14th team, and is not "thinking in terms of numbers" (AP, 9/12). An A&M source yesterday said that the SEC and the Aggies "will now wait and see what happens on the Oklahoma front." Slive said, "Texas A&M is an outstanding academic institution with an exceptional athletic program, passionate fans and wonderful traditions. While the SEC wasn't thinking about expansion, it was impossible not to be interested in Texas A&M" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 9/13).
HOLDING PATTERN: Sources said until A&M's decision to move to the SEC is resolved, the Pac-12 and OU are "in a holding pattern" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS, 9/13). An OU source said, "Texas, I don't think they know what they're going to do. It's just a big card game. Obviously, the Pac-12 would like to have us and Texas. Texas has to make up their mind what to do" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 9/13). ESPN football analyst Lee Corso yesterday said, "The NCAA is done. ... There's going to be an updated major four streamlined conferences. Sixteen in each conference. Those football conferences won't have basketball schools in there or women's tennis. They will be football schools only." In Orlando, George Diaz noted the "likely scenario that will play out would involve the SEC, Pac 12, Big 10, and a combination of the ACC and Big East." Corso said, "I [don't] think the ACC or Big East are going to make it. They're going to have to put these conferences together." Corso also said that OU "will eventually join the SEC" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 9/12).
