Later this afternoon, Board of Regents from Oklahoma and Texas are set to hold independent meetings of each other to discuss matters pertaining to the “legal ramifications” and “appropriate action” of conference alignment.
Now, it appears Oklahoma State’s Board of Regents will be conducting their own meeting to “consider matters relating to athletic conference membership” on Wednesday. The meeting is newly scheduled and was not previously on the BOR’s website.
“I am pleased the Board of Regents has scheduled this special meeting concerning conference affiliation,” OSU president Burns Hargis said in a statement. “Oklahoma State has attractive options, and we are working with our colleagues at the University of Oklahoma to make sure the best interest of both institutions of our state are achieved.
“We will be prepared at the appropriate time to take whatever steps are necessary for Oklahoma State. The OSU regents share our desire to see this matter resolved as soon as possible.”
Oklahoma has been on the forefront of rumors over the past several weeks that hinted the Sooners were prepared to jump to the Pac-12. In such an event, all signs have indicated that Oklahoma State would tag along. The question remains whether Texas -- and possibly, by association, Texas Tech -- would make the jump west, stay put and try to salvage the Big 12, go east to the ACC or try the football independence route (Texas only).
It’s a monstrous decision, too; the fate of several other institutions could hang in the balance depending on what the Longhorns decide, which as you can imagine, is largely dictated by the Longhorn Network.
As of today, Texas Tech has no plans for a meeting similar to the ones scheduled by UT, OU and OSU.
The bottom line is that the Pac-12 doesn’t need Oklahoma, Texas or to expand to 16 teams. But as commissioner Larry Scott has indicated before, the conference can’t afford to fall behind if suddenly every major conference expands to 16 members.
If Oklahoma really wants to go to the Pac-12, you can bet Scott will take the Sooners and the Cowboys, and it would seem counter-intuitive for Oklahoma State to hold a special meeting on conference membership if there wasn’t a move in the plans. We’re not saying there is; just a gut feeling by connecting dots.
And with the speculation-to-facts ratio being what it is right now, that’s about all we have.
(Big thanks: the Oklahoman)