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From NBC's Mark Murray
The conference shuffle in college football -- Nebraska heading to the Big 10, Colorado moving to the Pac 10, and other changes to follow -- has the potential to turn into a good political story in Texas.
The latest report via the sports Web site Orangebloods.com (subscription required) is that the University of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State are now all set to follow Colorado to the Pac 10.
The one exception: Texas A&M, which is undecided whether it will join its Big 12 brothers in the Pac 10, or if it will bolt to the SEC.
The conventional wisdom is that Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) -- an A&M grad who as governor appoints the A&M Board of Regents, as well at the UT Board of Regents -- wants to keep the Texas schools together, especially in a political year when he's facing a credible re-election challenge against Bill White (D).
But if -- and it's still a big if -- Texas A&M goes to the SEC, Perry could very well get blamed for not stopping this split. The reason: In a state where football is king, there will be a lot of in-state bad blood if A&M heads out on its own -- and Perry, with ostensible control over the A&M Board of Regents, has the ability to stop this.
On the flip side, Perry would get to look strong if he's able to keep the big Texas schools together.
College football realignments and politics aren't strangers. In the 1990s, then-Texas Gov. Ann Richards (D) was instrumental in ensuring that her alma mater, Baylor, was included in the Big 12. And as NBC's Luke Russert reminds me, then-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) worked to make sure that Virginia Tech was part of the expanded ACC.
Full disclosure: This author is a University of Texas graduate and an avid Texas Longhorn fan (hence the interest in this story where sports and politics could intertwine).
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Come on over to the SEC, Texas A&M. Alabama would love to have another opponent to gnaw on. The boys at UA just love eating steer for breakfast.
Hey now, CA! Don't remind me of last year's championship game....
Sorrry Mark. But let me say, if A&M comes over to the SEC real soon those boys at the University of Arkansas with their quarterback that has a rocket for an arm are ready to do some munching as well in 2010. Look for the Alabama / Arkansas game in 2010 to be the game that sets the early tone for the national championship. It is going to be one heck of a game, especially as it will be played in Fayetteville this year.
Texas schools who join the Pac-10 aren't going to look so good once the Trojans get through with them (and on the weekends that Oregon State pulls an upset, which they can do even in a 1-9 season). Enormous State University (aka Arizona) can hardly wait as well.
(hollow, Japanese-dubbed-movie voice) Foolish Mortals!
I'm afraid the trojans can grind all they want - according to yesterday's news - they will be on the sidelines for four years,...those darn rules and regulations. Wonder if Reggie will get to keep his heisman?
Typical Texas B.S.!
I have a degree from A&M and one from UT (Austin). Texas is headed to the West Coast. If A&M looks to the SEC, how is this "bolting?"
Each school should have the right to determine what's in their best interests.
Anything other than re-forming the SWC with TCU, Houston, Rice, etc. is "bolting" ... and the University of Texas is just jealous of the other major state university not being their lackey!
Steve -- The Pac 10 is the only conference willing to take all the major TX and OK schools (UT, A&M, Tech, OU, and OSU). That same offer doesn't exist for the SEC, which isn't willing to take Tech or OSU.
So if A&M opts for the SEC, it will be abandoning Tech and Oklahoma State, and it risks backlash from those schools and Texas and Oklahoma -- which are working to preserve as much of the Big 12 South as possible.
A&M has the right to determine its best interest. But make no mistake: A&M is the the one that would be bolting -- and that move threatens the possibility of playing UT in any sport in the future.