Oklahoma and Texas Expedite Big 12 Exit

The Big 12 Conference negotiates Texas and Oklahoma's early exit from the league

On Thursday night, Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger reported the Big 12 Conference, and its TV partners, have finalized a deal to allow the University of Texas and Oklahoma University to leave the Big 12 Conference for the Southeastern Conference on July 1 of 2024, a year earlier than previously scheduled. 

Texas and Oklahoma will owe a combined $100 million to the Big 12, which will be paid over a two-year period with most of the settlement expected to be distributed to the eight legacy Big 12 Schools (West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and Baylor).

The West Virginia football program will get another crack at Oklahoma on November 11 in Norman (OK). The Mountaineers will not see Texas this season with the addition of the four Big 12 Conference members (BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF) firmly on WVU's 2023 schedule. West Virginia holds a 6-5 series edge over Texas.

Dellenger also reported Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is still seeking more conference members. Rumors have circulated for months that the Pac 12 Conference's 'four corner schools', Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado were looking to leave the Pac 12 for the Big 12 while Oregon and Washington were seeking membership with the Big 10. 

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