The chaos continues.
As soon as news broke on Wednesday that Texas and Oklahoma were reportedly interested in joining the SEC, it was clear that Texas A&M was seemingly the one program that was not a fan of the move.
Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork hinted at the fact that the Aggies were unaware of the discussions between the SEC and the two Big 12 powerhouse programs, and even took it a step further to state that they hope to be the only school from the state of Texas in the SEC. Whether this is true or not, it’s clear that their opinion doesn’t carry much weight.
At this point, Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC is imminent and an official announcement is expected to come in the next few weeks. It makes sense from an athletics and revenue standpoint, among many other benefits.
On Saturday, Texas A&M president M. Katherine Banks released a statement on the matter:
The last few days have been challenging in many ways, and I recognize that change in college athletics often is unsettling for those who love their institutions. Rest assured, the chancellor, our athletic director, and I, and everyone involved in this matter are focused solely on what is best for Texas A&M University. Since 2011, we have been a proud member of the best intercollegiate athletic conference in history and we look forward to continued success in our SEC partnership for many years to come.
No matter how you digest the statement, it’s clear that the program as a whole is not taking the Texas/Oklahoma news very well. Unfortunately for the Aggies, there isn’t much they can do to prevent it from happening.
For those wondering if Texas A&M would leave the SEC if Texas and Oklahoma were to join, Banks’ statement should have cleared that up when she stated that they’re looking forward to their continued SEC partnership for many years to come.