Even with Aggie Yell reporting that A&M's defection was a done deal, others are saying it's not. The Sporting News reported that rumors of A&M accepting an SEC invite are "just not true" and "way premature." Texas' Rivals site, Orangebloods.com, reported that Texas A&M's regents will meet August 22 to vote on whether the Aggies should jump into the SEC's bed — and they're rumored to be leaning on leaving due to unhappiness over the Longhorn Network. (A&M got what it wanted Thursday when the NCAA ruled that high school games cannot appear on school or conference networks, but A&M apparently still isn't satisfied.)
A&M spokesman Jason Cook told Orangebloods: "There's no agreement in principle, nothing."
But there is a lot of smoke. Orangebloods also reported that the SEC's presidents will hold an emergency meeting Saturday to vote on A&M's application.
Texas lawmakers are going to get pulled into the fray to try to save rivalries. So are lawyers. A&M could be facing some serious hurdles to leaving, including fees for leaving the Big 12 and recently signed contracts. According to Orangebloods:
"The source said Texas A&M made a 10-year pledge to hold the Big 12 Conference together when ABC/ESPN vowed a year ago to keep paying the Big 12 as if it was still a 12-member league with a championship game. The source also questioned if A&M might be liable for breach of contract after signing a 13-year, $1.17 billion TV contract with Fox Sports for the Big 12's second-tier rights to football in April."
What does all this mean for Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Iowa State and Baylor? Maybe nothing if the other universities stick together.
"Two officials at separate Big 12 schools said Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would stay in the Big 12 as long as the other schools were willing to stay together," Orangebloods reported. "A third official in the Big 12 said the remaining nine schools were 'solid.' "
Yeah, but we thought A&M was solid, too.
Missouri may have another option. According to the Sporting News, the Tigers may get an SEC invite — if Oklahoma turns one down.
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