Should Texas and Texas A&M join the SEC if the Big 12 folds or can't get new powerhouse members

[edsg25]

conventional wisdom: Iowa always had an edge over Iowa State in the battle for the state they share. Iowa was Big Ten which was truly big time. Iowa State was Big Eight, more backwater, more rural Great Plains than urban Great Lakes that was the Hawkeyes' world. Held true during the Big 12 years. Arguably even more so if Iowa State has no real place to go when the conference breaks apart.

not-so-conventional wisdom but arguably just as right: FSU benefits from playing in a different conference from U-F, the opposite of the Iowa-ISU relationship. And that FSU is now ACC, not Big East, both schools get a lot of coverage in the Sunshine State playing in two different spheres. FSU's identity may well be enhanced by not sharing a conference with the Gators.

And then there's the Lone Star State. Once a very competitive world of the old SWC, Texas might have been big but it had more of a greater among equal status. It wasn't until the Big 12 days when Texas truly came into its own and became the incredible force it is. Of course, that rise of Texas, its status and power, is exactly what killed the Big 12.

For years, UT-A&M was a major rivalry. The Horns generally had the upper hand, but things were relatively close. Not today in the Texas dominated world of the crumbling B12.

So is it surprising with UT poised to go to the Pac Ten along with TT, OU, and Ok St that A&M might be balking now and separating from the pack.

Is it just possible that A&M's identity would be better served by being the only Lone Star team in the power laden SEC than in UT's shadow in the Pac 16.

Texas A&M vs. LSU sounds like a lot flatter playing field than Texas A&M vs. Texas.

[Zone2flyboy]

Originally Posted by VolDude

BFeldmanESPN
RT @ChipBrownOB: Texas A&M turned down invite to join Pac-10 in mtg today with Larry Scott in College Station, a Big 12 AD confirms

Texas A&M knows what it is, they want to play in a real football conference....

SEC >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>everything else

[imperialmog]

From what I heard Texas wants no part of the SEC, though A&M likely will go there when the Big XII collapses. (I can't picture it lasting in all honesty) The only problem is who else would be added to the conference? I know people keep tossing out Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Clemson but are very unlikely to be invited due to not adding new markets since they are already in states with a team in the conference which will also rule out teams like Memphis and Louisville. A school like North Carolina would be near impossible to get due to being closely tied to other schools NCState/Duke/Wake Forest and being origional ACC member and Virginia Tech might have the "little brother" issues other schools have in any future alignment. Looking West Oklahoma stated they wanted to stay in a conference with Texas and also if they were interested Oklahoma State would liekly have to be invited as well.

From what was stated as expansion targets which I assume will be the same when this happens again is that they want to expand in states with no SEC schools currently in it. (almost certianly adjacent to at least one) Also that they would prefer no to go after any ACC schools as well. It doesn't leave many schools out there left, espcially if Texas, OU, and OSU went to the Pac. The best options left to go with adding Texas A&M would be either Missouri (if the Big 10 doesn't take them first in this scenario) and/or West Virginia (academics would make them non-starter with Big 10 and likely ACC). Both are flagship schools in their states (and with Missouri the only 1-A program) and don't have any "little brother" issues. If all three were added in the future one more spot opens which might be someone not high on a list now.