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Oklahoma State Football

It's Over! SEC Source: "It Is Not If, but When We Add Oklahoma and Texas."

July 22, 2021
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STILLWATER – You can bank on it now as multiple sources tied into the Southeastern Conference have confirmed to Pokes Report that the question of whether Texas and Oklahoma will join the SEC is no longer if, but when.

Both the Big 12 and the SEC met in various forms on Thursday afternoon and evening with the Big 12 CEOs and athletic directors meeting virtually and the SEC school representatives meeting on a conference call. Sources told Pokes Report that Texas and Oklahoma were invited to be a part of the Big 12 meeting and the hope on the part of some Big 12 participants was a reconciliation. However, representatives of Texas and Oklahoma did not show for the Big 12 meeting.

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
The leadership duo of Dr. Kayse Shrum and Chad Weiberg is getting a baptism of fire.

For new Oklahoma State University President Dr. Kayse Shrum and new athletic director Chad Weiberg this was a crazy way to first meet up with their conference brethren and the odds are there that they may not be conference brethren much longer.

In fact, now that duo will be guiding the path to where Oklahoma State will compete in the future. That appears to be the situation.

Oklahoma State University fans and enthusiasts can feel good that the leadership duo along with others involved including OSU senior vice-president Kyle Wray have a lot of experience and savvy with college athletics. Pokes Report has also learned that the OSU leadership may have been clued in early and not caught as flat-footed as some others regarding the moves by Texas and Oklahoma.

The question now falls on the Big 12 and what they attempt to do. They could try to stay together, even as long as the current television contract to hold onto the media rights signed over to the Big 12 by Texas and Oklahoma. The clause in the current television agreements with ESPN and FOX would be interesting to know how much the league would lose and whether they could stand up at all with just eight members.

The certainty is the 2021 season will go on as scheduled. It is too late to make any changes to that. It will make games in the league between the Longhorns and Sooners and all others very interesting and intense. The season could turn out to be a weekly dose of grudge matches.  

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer
Quite possiby A sight of the past.

One major question is the future of Bedlam. After polling a number of individuals ranging from athletic department employees to coaches to donors to fans, the overwhelming thought is with Oklahoma State in another league and Oklahoma in the SEC the two schools won’t play football. I would think proximity would have some sports competing in non-conference action, but that would be up to the individual sports in each program.

 
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