Amid Texas A&M rumors, SEC to discuss expansion

Associated Press

Southeastern Conference presidents will meet today to discuss Texas A&M’s admission to the league, The New York Times is reporting.

The Times said all but one of the presidents will be at the SEC meeting, which will be held in Atlanta the day before the Texas A&M System board of regents will meet. A special meeting is scheduled Monday that includes an agenda item about conference alignment.

The session comes amid reports that Texas A&M is leaving the Big 12 for the SEC.

The SEC is interested in A&M because the move “brings us into the Texas market,” another person familiar with the situation told the AP on Saturday. But the person added that “it’s not about us wanting or needing 14 teams, Texas A&M came to us.”

The person said the conference could not ignore the Aggies.

“If A&M is dead set on getting away from Texas, whether it be because of the Longhorn Network or if they have had enough for whatever reason, you have to listen,” the person said. “If you don’t, someone else will.”

“It’s a business decision.”

If it does happen and A&M is put the SEC’s West Division, the person said the conference will have to add a 14th team in the East. However, the person said though the “Texas A&M thing will be decided in the week or so, the 14th team has not been discussed.”

According to media reports, several schools are being considered for that 14th slot, including Florida State and Clemson.

Presidents at both those Atlantic Coast Conference schools said Saturday they have had no contact with the SEC.

“From coach to [athletic director] to president and the board chair [trustees], there has been no discussion,” Florida State University President Eric Barron told the AP in a phone interview during a Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce meeting in Destin, Fla. “I feel quite certain if any of those individuals had any discussions, including me, we would have shared it with each other.”

Clemson University President James Barker Saturday also denied reports that the Tigers are considering a move.

“We are committed to the ACC,” Barker said in a statement. “We have had no contact with the SEC.”

The Tigers have been charter members of the ACC since it was formed in 1953. Florida State joined the ACC on July 1, 1991 after months of courtship by the SEC.

The person said it’s a “zero chance” that Florida State would be the 14th team and that it is highly unlikely it would be any ACC team.

“Our presidents simply don’t want to break up another conference,” the person said. “Remember, Texas A&M reached out to us. You know how many households there are in Texas? 8.9 million. Why would we want to hand that to the Pac 12 or any another conference?”