Reading between the lines, Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC is all but complete. Both schools seem to be finished with the Big 12, searching for a bigger and better future.
While that might sound very Aggie of me, at the end of the day, it’s true. There is no doubt the Southeastern Conference will be better for both the Longhorns and Sooners in the long term.
Only one thing is holding the move back from being official.
A vote must be conducted by the SEC before either school can be allowed in the conference. To go through with the transaction, at least 75% of the SEC’s affiliates must approve.
In other words, 11 of the 14 current members must vote yay. To turn down the proposition, four members must vote nay.
Kirk Bohls of the Austin American Statesman is reporting at least two schools from the SEC would vote no: Missouri and Texas A&M. Only two others would be needed to block the conference’s expansion.
I'm told Texas A&M and Missouri would be a hard no. Only 2 more needed to block an invitation to Texas, OU.
— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) July 21, 2021
Texas A&M is the obvious one. Aggie athletic director Ross Bjork stated he wanted “to be the only SEC school from the state of Texas” during SEC media days. Head coach Jimbo Fisher would not give a similar statement but was fast to claim he bet both schools wanted to become SEC members.
As for Missouri, many can understand why there is a motivation to vote Texas/Oklahoma out of their new home. Getting away from UT very well could have been the reason the Tigers jumped to the SEC in favor of the Big 12.
Some of the favorites to vote against the move also come from states where only one SEC school resides. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and possibly Arkansas could be more no’s.
When a vote will take place has yet to be reported. However, Missouri and Texas A&M seem to have a difficult task ahead.
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