Texas and Oklahoma aren’t expected to join the SEC in 2024, a development that could be the best thing for both programs in what will be the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported negotiations among Fox, ESPN, the Big 12 and both schools broke down. An agreement couldn’t be reached with Fox over what compensation the network would receive for missing out on revenue from Oklahoma and Texas games. ESPN will become the exclusive home of SEC football beginning in 2024.
Thamel’s report acknowledged things could change but that the door appears closed on the programs leaving before their contracts with the Big 12 expire at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
That also means in 2024 — the first year of the 12-team playoff — Oklahoma and Texas will have a more favorable path to qualifying for the tournament.
Texas last won the Big 12 — which welcomes new members BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF this upcoming season — in 2009. The Longhorns landed the top QB prospect in the class of 2023 (Arch Manning) and may end their time in the Big 12 as the best team in the conference.
Oklahoma has work to do after going 6-7 in 2022, the program’s most losses in a season since 1997.
It’s tough to imagine Texas or Oklahoma receiving a hospitable welcome to the SEC. The two might be in for as rude an awakening as Missouri and Texas A&M, the last teams added to the conference.
The Tigers and Aggies joined in 2012 and have combined for two SEC Championship Game appearances — both by Missouri — and zero conference championships.
Instead of spending the first year of the expanded playoff learning the ropes of SEC football, Texas and Oklahoma will have the opportunity to beat up on teams not nearly as imposing.
The two most storied programs in the Big 12 had their chances of qualifying for the playoff in 2024 increase with Friday’s report. Both should take advantage of the opportunity while they’re living on borrowed time.
