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Sessile Fielder wrote:

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2 other B12 schools   

KU and KSU?  Or MU and ISU?

Protestations to the contrary, Texas seems to be undoing the Big XII.

As Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friend!"  Just read this from Pete Thamel in the NYT:

 

Eleven of the 12 Southeastern Conference presidents will meet Sunday at a secret location to discuss the admission of Texas A&M to the league, according to a high-ranking SEC official with first-hand knowledge of the talks.

The official said there was a 30 to 40 percent chance that the presidents could vote against Texas A&M’s membership. He also said there was the issue of which university would become the 14th team, something many in college sports will monitor...

The SEC official said he wondered if the SEC presidents would vote for A&M only if they were assured that a team from within one of their states — Florida State, Clemson or Georgia Tech, for example — would not be added.

link

   

So, while A&M likely will be admitted, it's not a done deal.  The leaker noted that "This thing is much slower out of the chute than the media and blogs have made it.”  A Rivals blog, citing this article, speculates that the reticence of Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia to let in their ACC rivals could be good news for Missouri.  [link]  The SEC official conceded that the members are aware if they admit A&M they will have to find a 14th member, but denies that the conference has talked to any other school.  If the SEC's expansion is limited to those two Big XII teams, then I think the other conferences will not feel rushed to make counter-moves.  After all, the Big Ten and Pac-10 waited 20 years before following the SEC to 12 members and a CCG.  They're still focused on integrating their newcomers.

SavannahBadger wrote:

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Again, this tweet proves nothing, other than that Gottlieb tweeted it. The source indicated in the tweet isn't listed as also confirming anything other than details about TAMU.

Savannah, that wasn't intended to "prove" anything.  You asked for a link, and I provided one.  If you didn't want the link, you shouldn't have asked. 

Pat Forde's commentary:

On Wednesday in Indianapolis, a collection of university presidents, conference commissioners and NCAA administrators hailed a return to sanity in college sports.

On Monday in College Station,Texas, a school that hasn't been a top-10 football program in 17 years could do something that basically mocks the optimistic outlook in Indy. And in the process Texas A&M could shove the entire nation into another round of mercenary mergers and acquisitions...

Hard to believe a program that is a whopping three games over .500 in the past nine football seasons could decide the future of an entire nation, but that may be where we're headed.

link

I gather he's not fully enthusiastic about this move. 

Orangebloods.com (take it for what it is; unnamed sources likely from Austin) reports today that this is not yet a done deal.  Some of the issues include legal/contract problems:

There appear to be real legal questions from the Big 12 about the SEC's role in A&M's apparent decision to leave the Big 12 and if tortious interference is involved in possibly breaking the Aggies' contracts with their current television partners.

Multiple sources said the 13-year Fox television deal signed by the Big 12 in April for $1.17 billion can be voided if Texas A&M leaves. The sources said if the SEC, which has had ongoing conversations with Texas A&M since Mike Slive was on the College Station campus during last summer's realignment, could be seen as the instigator in A&M's actions, it could constitute a lawsuit against the SEC as well as a lawsuit for damages against individuals involved.

A&M's lawyers have also been looking at the legal ramifications of a move to the SEC, a source close to A&M said.

Then there's the political issue:

House Higher Education Committee chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, told Orangebloods.com Saturday he has received assurances from A&M that the Aggies' regents board won't be finalizing a move to the SEC on Monday.

Branch on Thursday set a meeting of his committee for Tuesday and invited Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin and Texas A&M regents chair Richard Box along with Big 12 and SEC officials to discuss the Aggies' plans.

Then on Friday, A&M's regents moved an Aug. 22 meeting to Monday, one day ahead of Branch's committee hearing in what looked like a maneuver to out-flank lawmakers. But an A&M source said the regents were likely to vote on Monday to empower Loftin, the school's president, with the ability to make any decision in the matter on behalf of Texas A&M.

"It's my understanding the regents meeting on Monday is to begin negotiations, not complete them - assuming the SEC extends an offer," Branch told Orangebloods.com. "It would be important to the Legislature that the regents not complete anything before lawmakers get to ask some questions.

"It's my understanding from talking to A&M officials that it may take a week or two weeks to finalize any conference realignment anyway."

Then there's the issue of who goes with A&M to balance the SEC:

The Big 12 board of directors - minus Texas A&M - pledged their commitment to a nine-member conference during a call Saturday afternoon if the Aggies were to bolt for the Southeastern Conference...An administrator at a Big 12 school told Orangebloods.com that the Atlantic Coast Conference has a meeting planned for Monday with its 12 schools to reaffirm their commitment to each other.

And it's not even clear today's "secret meeting" of SEC presidents will result in an offer to A&M:

According to sources close to the situation, only Florida president Bernie Machen and Georgia president Michael Adams have been in contact with Slive about the SEC's current expansion plans.  The other 10 presidents will apparently be getting a whole lot of critical information from Slive whenever he meets with them. If those presidents, who heard a report of the SEC possibly adding schools such as Missouri, Clemson and Florida State from ESPN's Doug Gottlieb Saturday, are not on board, this story could take a serious left turn.

Assuming all those hurdles are jumped, this is what he's reporting are the options under consideration by the Big XII:  BYU, Air Force, TCU and Houston.

link

Good catch, Mound St.!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also has an interesting piece, primarily citing anonymous SEC sources:

 

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."

link

As to the other team that might come in with A&M:

 

If A&M does jump to the SEC and is put in the West Division, the person speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity 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 [next] week or so, the 14th team has not been discussed."...

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?"

West Virginia and Missouri have also been mentioned, but the person said Louisville would make more sense.

"The question is what's the dynamic with Kentucky? Will Kentucky have a problem with it?" the person said. "I doubt Kentucky would have the beef that Georgia does with Georgia Tech or South Carolina does with Clemson."

Louisville?  Really?  Implicit here is that Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina would block FSU, GT, and Clemson, respectively.  But Kentucky wouldn't be able to block Louisville.  That should go down well in Lexington. 

If that's how this shakes out, I don't expect the ripples to be too big.  Memphis or ECU to the BE, Houston or someone out west to the Big XII, and no pressure on other conferences to do anything for now.  Delany can continue to be comfortable sitting tight and we can go back to enjoying the upcoming football season.