Possibility Exists Oklahoma, Texas Could Leave For SEC Year Early
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 12: Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) is sacked during a game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners on October 12, 2019, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Officially, Oklahoma and Texas are set to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC in 2025. But if they have their way, they might be trying to leave a year early.
According to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, people in the SEC believe that Oklahoma and Texas can negotiate their way out of the Big 12 and join their conference as early as 2024. But they acknowledge that the price will be "steep."
However, given how much money is potentially on the table for the SEC with the Sooners and Longhorns joining their ranks, it may be a price worth paying.
Oklahoma and Texas are already believed to owe the Big 12 $76 million between them just to leave by 2025. Getting out an extra year early could bring that sum closer to $100 million.
A seismic shift in college athletics in getting closer and closer by the day. Oklahoma and Texas are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC; Cincinnati, BYU, Houston and UCF are joining the Big 12 to replace them; USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.
There will likely be a lot more movement in and out of the Power Five conferences in the months to come.
The sooner these moves get competed, the fast that shift will happen.
When will Oklahoma and Texas complete their move to the SEC?
