The Univ. of Oklahoma Board of Regents will “discuss conference realignment at a regularly scheduled meeting Monday afternoon in Tulsa,” according to Travis Haney of the OKLAHOMAN. The board “made that known Thursday when its agenda was made publicly available.” The unabridged agenda stated the members will "consider new athletic conference membership,” and they will “take any appropriate action.” OU has most commonly been associated “with the Pac-12 -- something that has never been refuted by OU, Pac-12 or SEC sources.” The school’s interest in the Pac-12 “extends beyond the athletic world, to academia.” OU President David Boren has told associates that “he would like to align his school with the academic powerhouses such as Cal and Stanford.” Sources have said that “the Pac-12 would ideally like a package that would include OU and Texas.” Oklahoma State and Texas Tech would “likely also be involved, because of their links to the states’ flagship schools, to push Pac-12 membership to 16 -- and so-called ‘superconference’ status” (OKLAHOMAN, 9/16).
CALM AND RATIONAL MANNER: Univ. of Missouri Chancellor and Big 12 BOD Chair Brady Deaton said that “he had gained confidence during the past week” and is “heartened ... that OU and others are looking before they leap.” Deaton: “I think this period of just a bit more calmness and reasoning ... makes us all feel as if the various issues can be dealt with in a rational way and in a way that’s in the best interests of each our institutions and the Big 12 -- and of other leagues around the country” (USA TODAY, 9/16). Deaton said that "he and other university leaders 'are working every day to hold the Big 12 together' but the next move is dependent on the Sooners” (AP, 9/15).
