Big 12 Seemingly Squashes Texas, OU Early Exit to SEC, But Big Moves May Still Happen

What delayed and potentially shifting college landscape could mean for Arkansas Razorbacks

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Feb 3, 2023 11:38 AM EST
Original:
Feb 3, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FRISCO, Texas – If SEC schools were looking forward to beating up on Texas and having a tussle with Oklahoma in football after next season, it looks like they're going to have to wait a while.

The Big 12 meetings in Dallas this week could potentially be the most impactful to college sports in a long time, and that includes decisions that will echo into the plans of Arkansas fans.

Never Gonna Let You Go...

It's no secret that Texas and Oklahoma have been working hard to get out of the Big 12 so they can begin SEC play in 2024. It has been thought for several months now that this would be a forgone conclusion because all indications were that this is something ESPN wants to happen and what ESPN wants, ESPN gets.

Until now.

Fox and the Big 12 reportedly listened to the Longhorns and Sooners' exit proposal, took one look at the newly released Big 12 schedule, added up all the dollar signs, and offered up a resounding no to any idea that didn't include the two schools for a second year of the newest conference alignment.

Considering how tight the timing is to put in all the work that would be needed to fully integrate the two schools into the SEC, unless a change of heart happens almost immediately, Texas and Oklahoma early is officially put to bed.

With the early expansion goes an opportunity for Arkansas to end its football season with a school other than Missouri for at least another year.

Go West Young Man...

While the Big 12 appears to have put the brakes on a potential Arkansas, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma pod, the presidents are reportedly interested in doing a little more expanding of their own before Longhorns and Sooners let the door hit them on the way out.

Reports indicate that discussions to add Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado are currently on the table. The Pac 12 has been in talks trying to work out some sort of television deal, but with USC and UCLA bound for the Big Ten and many believing other schools are looking to leave the conference soon, a final decision on a deal has been delayed for some time now.

This makes it more likely that if the Big 12 were to make a formal offer that the four schools would accept, theoretically putting the conference in stronger standing to demand a better television rights deal than under the current construction of the Big 12.

The conference would nearly stretch coast to coast with several additional major markets and could boast the added interest of a Deion Sanders coached Colorado team. If his presence at Jackson State was enough to land regular valuable television programming on ESPN for an FCS school, what's his value at a Power Five?

Building a Bridge...

Scheduling a potential blockbuster game with Gonzaga during the regular season could potentially become easier for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

One thing on the table for the Big 12 presidents to decide is the request of the Bulldogs to join the Big 12.

On its face, it seems unlikely that the Big 12 would add Gonzaga. There's no football program, and while basketball usually comprises roughly 1/5 of television rights money, there is too big of a hit to be taken by dragging non-revenue sports all the way to Spokane no matter how good the Bulldogs currently are in baseball.

But that's where adding the Pac 12 schools comes in. Gonzaga is highly attractive as a national brand in basketball and could solidify the Big 12's reputation as the SEC of college basketball.

If the Big 12 can add Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado in with BYU and Texas Tech for more of a Western United States flavor, then bringing Gonzaga in as a non-football school is more feasible.

There are ways to limit schools like Central Florida, West Virginia and Cincinnati from having to go across the country on a regular basis if the Pac 12 schools are added.

However, if that can't happen, then the deal is likely as dead as Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC in 2024 because it wouldn't make enough financial sense.

It also decreases the likelihood of a Gonzaga vs. Arkansas regular season home-and-home match-up in basketball. The extra revenue the Bulldogs would receive from the Big 12, plus the regular exposure to nearby areas like Oklahoma and Kansas make it more likely a game would be scheduled.

Having Gonzaga in the Big 12 would especially increase the chances of Arkansas meeting up with Gonzaga in baseball at one of these season opening classics.

However, without it, the odds go way down.

Final Thoughts...

One thing is for sure. Without Texas and Oklahoma holding the Big 12 back on major decisions and revenue distribution, the conference is certainly more interesting to keep an eye on.

There was no reason to peek across the border at what was going on in their meetings in the past because what the conference as a whole wanted or needed didn't matter. One only had to know what was in the best interest of Texas and Oklahoma because everyone else had to do their bidding.

There have been soft murmurs that the SEC may consider setting up a pair of offices to make the ever expanding conference easier to manage – one in Atlanta and one in Dallas. It makes sense as those are the two major hubs in the conference, making transportation much easier than trying to get into Birmingham.

However, there is a potential downside to that. Mostly Texas, but to a degree, Oklahoma.

Hopefully, if SEC leaders aren't willing to listen to the horror stories of dealing with Texas from Arkansas, Texas A&M and Missouri, they will at least take note as to how much happier and hopeful things appear to be in the Big 12 now that the Longhorns and Sooners have lost their leverage.

The SEC has always been about one league with equal voices. Oklahoma, and especially Texas, cannot be allowed to be louder voices if a Dallas office does actually come to fruition.

No league is too big to fail once that starts happening.

Not even the mighty SEC.