With the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns sending out their joint statement, the question now becomes a matter of when they could join the SEC.
Well, the first obstacle has been cleared, the two rival schools have declared their intentions to the Big 12 Conference. That is just the first of many still standing in the way of both members of the Red River Rivalry. The next obstacle is an actual invitation from the SEC. While no word has been made on when the conference is set to meet. According to conference bylaws, a vote of 11 members saying yes is needed for the invitation.
According to Matt Hayes of Saturday Down South and Stadium, the expectation would be for Oklahoma and Texas to join in time for the 2022 college football season.
#SEC source: “The expectation” is for Texas and OU to play in SEC in 2022.
Last expansion:
— Texas A&M invited Sept 2011.
— Missouri invited November 2011
— Both played in SEC in 2012. https://t.co/uAp4P3V1hA— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) July 26, 2021
That seems more in line with the timing of the statement from both schools. In a recent interview with former Alabama player George Teague, he stated the same. His opinion is this move doesn’t wait three years if the teams are already making their declaration to leave.
“I don’t think they would even start talking about this move unless it was a year out.” –Teague to Sooners Wire
If the source to Hayes is indeed correct, Oklahoma and Texas would be set to join the SEC for 2022. Likely setting up return battles against their former conference rivals, Texas A&M.
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With so many moving parts to this story, it is still a wait-and-see approach. Right now it is your move commissioner Greg Sankey.
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