The news that Texas and Oklahoma are joining the SEC sent shockwaves across college sports, and three of the other Power Five conferences have officially come up with a response.
The commissioners of the Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC announced on Tuesday that an “alliance” has been formed between the three conferences. The arrangement covers many areas, but the main takeaway is that schools from the three conferences will regularly be playing against one another — eventually.
It should be noted that the Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC all have current media contracts with several years remaining on them. Because of that, any changes to schedules “will begin as soon as practical while honoring current contractual obligations,” according to the press release.
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said the goal is for the alliance to bring “stability” to college sports.
“Hopefully this will bring some much needed stability in college athletics. I also think what it will do is allow people to understand where everyone else stands,” Warren said, via Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports. “Some of the events over the last couple of months have shaken the foundations of college athletics.”
One thing that is not clear is where all of this leaves the Big 12, which will lose its two best programs in Texas and Oklahoma. There had been some chatter that the Big 12 might join the alliance or be absorbed by another conference, but perhaps it is now viewed as too insignificant. That is a bad sign for the future of the Big 12.
