Oklahoma next to leave the "Big 12"?

[Chrispy]

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma president David Boren says multiple conferences have shown interest in the Sooners recently and he expects to decide whether to leave the Big 12 or not within the next three weeks.

Boren said Friday that Oklahoma is seeking stability in its conference relationship with "partners that are both outstanding athletically and academically as well because a conference that's strong is not only stable but it's one in which there are multiple relationships, along with sports, between the university members."

He said he tried to prevent Texas A&M from leaving the Big 12 and was disappointed the Aggies announced this week they would seek to join another conference -- most likely the SEC -- by next July.

"Of course, we have some great partners in the existing Big 12. We have interest from other conferences and other universities, so it's really a tribute to the strength of our program at the University of Oklahoma that there is so much interest in us," Boren said.

"So, we have to carefully evaluate the various comments that are being made to us and the various possibilities that are being shown to us before we decide what's best for the university to do."

Athletic director Joe Castiglione, who attended a ceremony with Boren to celebrate a $10 million donation toward a campus dormitory, said he was "not here to answer any of those kind of questions." Castiglione has not commented publicly on Texas A&M's departure from the league, nor on Oklahoma's future plans.

Boren said he and Castiglione have been heavily involved in talks about the future of the Sooners and the Big 12.

Oklahoma was offered chances to join both the Pac-10 and the SEC last year but decided to stick with the Big 12, even as Nebraska left to join the Big Ten and Colorado joined the Pac-10. A&M's departure would leave drop the league that once had 12 teams down to nine members.

"I don't think there's anything that has to be, at all, and everything doesn't have to be done today. I mean, there's nothing that says the conference will collapse at nine," Boren said. "We have a full season to play and we'll have to go through.

"Obviously, I think if we could eventually -- and that doesn't mean in one year, maybe it's going to take two or three years -- if we were to eventually get back to 12, I would feel better about it."

Boren said the bottom line is "I don't think OU is going to be a wallflower when all is said and done."

"I don't know how long it will be before clarity comes to us. My experience is that on these kinds of things, it might be a matter of 72 hours, it might be a matter of two weeks. I don't really think this is something that is going to linger on beyond two or three weeks at the outside," Boren said.

"It's been consuming my life the last few days, but it's a fascinating challenge and we're just in the search for what's best for the university."

Boren confirmed that he flew to Missouri, whose chancellor is the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors, and then to College Station last week to try to prevent the Aggies from leaving. He said he's disappointed that he thought the Sooners had conference stability and instead face the same challenge as last summer.

"We don't know what's going to happen. Some things are trends beyond the control of any one university," Boren said. "Is there going to be a continued trend toward consolidation? Are we going to see conferences that are now 12 ... move to 16? Is that going to happen? Maybe that's not going to happen."

"You've seen both. You've seen a tendency toward consolidation and then you've seen some pushback in the very largest conferences from schools that say, 'Not too big.' We're trying to sort all that out. At this point in time, I'm being very honest with you. I do not know with certainty or perhaps even can't hazard a totally intelligent guess as to what our final decision will be. But we are carefully looking over all of the options. There is no school in the Big 12 more active than we are right now."

Information from SoonerNation writer Jake Trotter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...ren-says-school-interest-multiple-conferences

 

[NAHSTE]

:facepalm:

Emmert needs to put a stop to this circus act.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

This is all because of Texas. The entire world realizes Texas was going to bolt and leave everyone behind (and destroying the league in the process), so all of these schools are beating them to the punch. Texas just sits back, and lets everyone else look like the bad guys.

 

[BrntO4Life]

This is all because of Texas. The entire world realizes Texas was going to bolt and leave everyone behind (and destroying the league in the process), so all of these schools are beating them to the punch. Texas just sits back, and lets everyone else look like the bad guys.

Texas doesn't need to do anything either way, so why would they?

 

[ryne candy]

Texas doesn't need to do anything either way, so why would they?

That is true...I just see them going to Pac 12 for everything but football. They are getting bad pub from all this. If it were just A&M, they could get away looking like the good guys but if every big school starts leaving, they look like they got greedy with LHN (true or not). I wonder how big LHN is going to be outside of Texas, right now I read that ESPN is stating 4M households but many think that is an overestimate.

 

[Sportsbuck]

This is all because of Texas. The entire world realizes Texas was going to bolt and leave everyone behind (and destroying the league in the process), so all of these schools are beating them to the punch. Texas just sits back, and lets everyone else look like the bad guys.

Texas is the one that's looking like the bad guys.

Texas' dominance and power over the Big 12 is the reason a lot of these schools are leaving. It's what pushed Nebraska to want to leave last year.

 

[G-men]

The Big East could use some Texas and Oklahoma schools :shifty:

 

[NAHSTE]

Texas is the one that's looking like the bad guys.

Texas' dominance and power over the Big 12 is the reason a lot of these schools are leaving. It's what pushed Nebraska to want to leave last year.

Not to mention that whole $300 million TV network that nobody wants to watch.

 

[1ke]

Its musical chairs. Only a fool wouldnt grab one. Oki is no different. But where, does it come to the Pac10 and Big10?

 

[SHOGUN]

Fuck Texas for starting all this. I hate seeing teams go to new conferences that make no sense geographically.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Oklahoma is the next to make a decision...then its going to be Mizzou and Notre Dame. Supposedly the SEC would love to get into that St. Louis/KC market.

Meanwhile, SMU is dying to get into Big XII and they want nothing to do with them lol.

Texas will end up going Independent, and there will be a new Big XIII or SWC or something, including a bunch of the Texas teams.

 

[Boucher]

While were at it lets get some CIS teams in the MAC

 

[blstuart]

The Big East could use some Texas and Oklahoma schools :shifty:

More like the Big East will get some Kansas schools.

 

[blstuart]

All's I hope is neither A&M or Oklahoma join the SEC. The SEC is already hard enough to get through undefeated. It makes no sense (other than money) to add 2 more strong teams.

You're getting A&M.
The Oklahoma schools will go PAC though.

 

[ryne candy]

You're getting A&M.
The Oklahoma schools will go PAC though.

That's the rumor...OU & OSU to PAC next week.

 

[Swarley]

Texas and OU in talks with Pac-12. OSU would follow and possibly TT.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...s-texas-longhorns-being-discussed-source-says

The concept of the Pac-16 is again being actively discussed by Pac-12 officials as well as officials at Oklahoma and Texas, a source close to the situation told ESPN's Joe Schad.

The source said those schools know the opportunity to join the Pac-12 is their decision. Oklahoma State is expected to follow Oklahoma's lead and Texas Tech is a possibility as the fourth school. The Longhorn Network is a potentially complicating factor but Pac-12 officials believe the parties could work through that.

 

[blstuart]

Texas and OU in talks with Pac-12. OSU would follow and possibly TT.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...s-texas-longhorns-being-discussed-source-says

Yeah, I just saw this. Looks like it's over.
I hate it, but I have to start praying for a Big East invite for my Jayhawks. And who knows how long that conference will last. There's about to be 4 major conferences, and I would guess that when all the dust eventually settles in a few years that the ACC will be the 4th.

 

[blstuart]

I'm just afraid that my Jayhawks get left out in the cold. KU, K St, Iowa St, & Baylor are schools that nobody will want. No football relevance at all.

 

[Swarley]

Yeah, as a K-State fan I'm really crossing my fingers for a Big East invite.

 

[FedEx227]

Not to mention that whole $300 million TV network that nobody wants to watch.

There it is right there.