On Monday, the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma jointly announced they were leaving the Big XII Conference in 2025 with the intention of joining the SEC.
This will be the first time in a decade since the last conference realignment, which saw some rivalries end and new rivalries formed. With Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big XII, the conference is likely dead.
If Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC, the conference will have sixteen teams, while the rest of the conferences will try to take what’s left of the Big XII. The SEC would have no business playing the lower conferences and FCS teams anymore if they add Texas and Oklahoma.
However, are Texas and Oklahoma making the right decision? They are rushing to get this done asap. Maybe, they should look into becoming Independent like Notre Dame. Notre Dame has its own television deals with NBC and Disney. Their football and hockey programs are Independent, but the rest of their sports have been members of the ACC since 2013. As part of the deal to join the ACC, Notre Dame’s football and hockey programs had to play some of the ACC teams.
Texas already has a television deal with ESPN with the Longhorn Network. They would have the freedom to schedule games as Notre Dame does. This would open the possibility of renewing its feud with Texas A&M. Texas could go the route with an independent football program but join the SEC in other sports.
For Oklahoma, they could negotiate a television deal that would air their games. With many streaming services fighting for content, Oklahoma should consider exploring these options. Then, someone will write a check out to Oklahoma to broadcast the games, and they can continue with its rivalry with Oklahoma State. Like Texas, Oklahoma could be Independent in football and join the SEC for the other sports.
As for the rest of the Big XII, Texas Tech, Iowa State, TCU, Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State should revive the Big 8 Conference and recruit Nebraska from the Big 10. In return, the Big 10 gets West Virginia and places them in the East Division, and moves Indiana to the West Division.
West Virginia would benefit from moving to the Big 10. They would not have to travel far to play other teams and reunite with Rutgers from their days in the Big East and face Maryland, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State.
Should Texas and Oklahoma be denied joining the SEC, these moves would benefit all sides. Rivalries help sports, and college football fans love nothing more than to see some of these feuds happen again while keeping the other feuds intact.
