If Texas A&M joins the SEC, who will follow?
It has been reported in the last few days by AggieYell.com, along with multiple sites, that the Aggies will leave the Big 12 (10) after the 2011 season and join the SEC in the 2012 season.
This deal still has a long way to go, because it has to pass the Texas legislature and the Texas A&M board of regents. The legislature which is a muddled mess where football and politics are blended together (I guess the saying is true...football is a close second to God in Texas).
Also, SEC presidents have to agree for this to happen.
It is also rumored that A&M would have to pay back 80 percent of the past two years revenue to the Big 12. Safe to say they would make that back pretty quickly with the SEC's revenue-sharing system.
All-in-all, a good move for both sides: The Aggies get out of a conference dominated and ran by big brother Texas, and the SEC moves into the Texas TV market. And both sides will get the cash rewards.
But if the Aggies move goes through, and let's be clear that nothing is a done deal, that leaves the SEC with a 13-team league. That left me thinking: Who would the SEC pick to even out a 14-team league?
There are a few teams:
Virginia Tech - They could leave the ACC. It would help the SEC extend TV markets into the Virginia/DC area, and they would get a quality team. The question for VT is if they want to leave a conference where they have dominated since arriving. I give this move a 50-50 shot of happening.
Clemson - The fanbase is SEC-style nutty, and they could leave a conference they haven't won in a very long time. The problem: South Carolina. I don't think USC wants Clemson in their conference, and it wouldn't really lock down a new TV market. I give this move a 10 percent chance.
Louisville - Head coach Charlie Strong has SEC experience, and is trying to build a strong program. It would lock down the Louisville market, and lockdown the state of Kentucky, and would give the SEC a good basketball team, and rivalry. Still, the SEC can probably get a better football team...5 percent chance of happening.
Now, what the SEC would love is for Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri to follow A&M to the SEC, and create a powerhouse SEC West with LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
That would then move Alabama and Auburn to the current SEC East of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina.
This would also kill the Big 12, make Texas go independent, and the rest of the teams go into other conferences.
As far-fetched as this sounds, I give this a 60 percent chance of happening.
As long as A&M joins the SEC, which is not a done deal.
This deal still has a long way to go, because it has to pass the Texas legislature and the Texas A&M board of regents. The legislature which is a muddled mess where football and politics are blended together (I guess the saying is true...football is a close second to God in Texas).
Also, SEC presidents have to agree for this to happen.
It is also rumored that A&M would have to pay back 80 percent of the past two years revenue to the Big 12. Safe to say they would make that back pretty quickly with the SEC's revenue-sharing system.
All-in-all, a good move for both sides: The Aggies get out of a conference dominated and ran by big brother Texas, and the SEC moves into the Texas TV market. And both sides will get the cash rewards.
But if the Aggies move goes through, and let's be clear that nothing is a done deal, that leaves the SEC with a 13-team league. That left me thinking: Who would the SEC pick to even out a 14-team league?
There are a few teams:
Virginia Tech - They could leave the ACC. It would help the SEC extend TV markets into the Virginia/DC area, and they would get a quality team. The question for VT is if they want to leave a conference where they have dominated since arriving. I give this move a 50-50 shot of happening.
Clemson - The fanbase is SEC-style nutty, and they could leave a conference they haven't won in a very long time. The problem: South Carolina. I don't think USC wants Clemson in their conference, and it wouldn't really lock down a new TV market. I give this move a 10 percent chance.
Louisville - Head coach Charlie Strong has SEC experience, and is trying to build a strong program. It would lock down the Louisville market, and lockdown the state of Kentucky, and would give the SEC a good basketball team, and rivalry. Still, the SEC can probably get a better football team...5 percent chance of happening.
Now, what the SEC would love is for Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri to follow A&M to the SEC, and create a powerhouse SEC West with LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
That would then move Alabama and Auburn to the current SEC East of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina.
This would also kill the Big 12, make Texas go independent, and the rest of the teams go into other conferences.
As far-fetched as this sounds, I give this a 60 percent chance of happening.
As long as A&M joins the SEC, which is not a done deal.
Comments
Post a Comment