Report: SEC Presidents unanimously vote yes for Oklahoma and Texas’ invitation
In the least shocking vote in college football, the SEC has unanimously voted yes to officially extend an invitation to Oklahoma and Texas.
In the span of eight days, this has gone from an unconfirmed rumor to the Oklahoma Sooners bolting the conference with their biggest rivals. They were able to put their school’s rivalries aside to entertain the idea of leaving the Big 12 Conference for the SEC. It appears that has come to fruition as the SEC presidents have voted to extend the invitation.
SEC presidents, as expected, have voted to extend a membership invitation to Texas & Oklahoma, sources tell @SINow.
OU and Texas board of regents meet Friday to accept the invitation – the final step in securing the richest and most powerful conference in college sports history.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 29, 2021
What remains now is exactly when Oklahoma and Texas will officially bounce from the Big 12. While they stated in a joint letter to their current conference that it would happen in 2025, it could come much sooner. Many anticipate that it will come in 2022. During the last expansion, Texas A&M and Missouri were invited in 2011, they entered the SEC in 2012.
The big question will revolve around the exit fee. However, it appears that the Sooners’ rivals could help them out. Well, essentially ESPN would help them out with the exit fee. That would be just another round of gasoline onto the fire in the Big 12. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has already sent a cease and desist letter to the network for their involvement in conference realignment.
A source close to the situation said the buyout money for #Texas and #Oklahoma to leave the #Big12 before 2025 could come from the roughly $160 million #UT is still owed by ESPN for the final 10 years of ESPN's 20-yr, $300 million contract with Texas for the Longhorn Network.
— Chip Brown (@ChipBrown247) July 27, 2021
According to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, both schools are expected to formally accept the invitations on Friday during board meetings.
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