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Update: Oklahoma, Texas Had 'Already Taken Steps to Facilitate a Move' to the SEC

The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that the Sooners and Longhorns have reached out to the SEC and a possible announcement could be forthcoming.

John E. Hoover

Update: Oklahoma, Texas Had 'Already Taken Steps to Facilitate a Move' to the SEC
Update: Oklahoma, Texas Had 'Already Taken Steps to Facilitate a Move' to the SEC /

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby wrapped up his press conference last week at Big 12 Media Days by thanking the assemblage for not asking him about the ever-present topic of Big 12 expansion.

Maybe now we know why.

Citing unnamed sources, the Houston Chronicle reported on Wednesday that Oklahoma and Texas “have both reached out to the Southeastern Conference about potentially joining” the SEC.

That’s according to “a high-ranking college official with knowledges of the situation.”

Brent Zwerneman, The Chronicle’s Texas A&M beat writer, reported that “an announcement could come within a couple of weeks” regarding the addition of OU and Texas to the 14-member SEC.

It was nine years ago this month that Texas A&M left the Big 12 with Missouri for membership with the SEC, one year after Colorado left for the Pac-12 and Nebraska left for the Big Ten.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was asked about this report and he gave an ominous response that didn't offer much clarity — but didn't exactly shut down this report either.

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork made his opinion clear on the potential addition of the Sooners and Longhorns to the SEC, stating he is against it due to wanting to be the only Texas-based team in the league.

Later Wednesday, John Talty of the Alabama Media Group and senior sports editor at al.com, reported that "multiple college football insiders" had 

In reporting before the news broke, AL.com heard from "multiple college football insiders" that Oklahoma and Texas had "already taken steps to facilitate a possible move and the desired landing place, should both leave the Big 12, is the SEC."

This story will be updated.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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