Is Texas going to the SEC? Latest turnarounds in college football conference realignment explored

Texas was one of the 12 foundational members of the Big 12 when the conference was founded in 1994. The Longhorns teamed up with three other members of the defunct Southwest Conference along with all eight members of the old Big Eight Conference. Together, they formed the Big 12 conference.

30 long years after the formation of the Big 12, however, the Longhorns are set for a new adventure in another conference. The report of the school’s departure from the Big 12 surfaced in July 2021. It was reported that the Longhorns and Oklahoma approached the SEC with a proposal about joining the conference.

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Is Texas going to the SEC?

Texas is set to join the SEC by July 2024. This switch has been in motion since 2021. The Longhorns and fellow Big 12 school, Oklahoma, notified the SEC of their wish to start competing in the conference. Following the notification from the two schools, current members of the SEC voted unanimously to add them to the conference. 2025 was set as the date for the schools to start competing in the SEC.

However, both schools sought a buyout deal with the Big 12 in order to leave at an earlier date. It was agreed with the conference that they would cease to be members of the Big 12 by the end of the 2023 season. Consequently, they will begin to compete in the SEC in 2024.

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Exploring Texas’ history of conference affiliations

The Longhorns started out their illustrious history as independents. From 1893 to 1895, they competed outside of conference affiliations. However, a change occurred in 1896 when the school joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. However, this affiliation only lasted until 1904.

From the year 1905 until 1912, the Longhorns competed outside conference affiliations for the second and the last time in their history. The school joined the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1913 and remained in the conference until the following year. Then, from 1915 until 1995, the Longhorns competed as a member of the Southwest Conference.

In 1996, the Longhorns began competing in the Big 12 after it had formed the conference two years earlier, along with 11 other schools. Now, it is set to join the SEC in 2024. Across all these affiliations, the Longhorns have won 32 conference titles. Their first title came in 1913 as a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. They last won a conference championship in 2009 in the Big 12.