SEC commissioner Greg Sankey slams Big 12 allegation: Texas & Oklahoma departure has created bitter conference rivalry

The SEC Media Days 2023 got off to an interesting start as commissioner Greg Sankey took a swipe at the Big 12. Sankey addressed certain allegations made by the deputy commissioner of the Big 12, Tim Weiser, at the Big 12 Media Days held last week.

Weiser had stated that the reason behind the switch by Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 to the SEC is not financial. Rather, Weiser claimed, Texas realigned because “on a given Saturday, they would rather get beat by Alabama than they would Kansas State.”

Oklahoma, he said, is “the reluctant bride” that followed its rival more or less unwittingly.

Greg Sankey's response was as unequivocal as it could be. He said:

“I'm going to be as clear as I can. That's fiction. Period. That's fiction. The outreach was from both equitably. It was from the presidential level directly and clearly. And Joe Harroz and Jay Hartzell were both equally clear about their interest in joining the Southeastern Conference."

---

The impact of Oklahoma and Texas' move to the SEC on CFB Greg Sankey's opinion

Texas Spring Football Game

College football fans will recollect that Texas and Oklahoma had revealed their intent to join the SEC back in July 2021. In hindsight, the move was highly significant and continues to greatly impact the college football landscape.

The Big 12, left destabilized in the aftermath of the move, has sought replacements that will compete in the conference starting this season. But it had to plunder the AAC for three members. And it may not be entirely done.

The Pac-12 was dealt a similar blow in June 2023 when USC and UCLA announced plans to join the Big Ten by 2024. Unlike the Big 12, the Pac-12 hasn't found replacements for the departures.

Oklahoma v Texas Tech

It's also yet to close a new media rights deal, as its current deal expires this season. The impact of Oklahoma and Texas’ move to the SEC has spread to other FBS conferences like the Mountain West, Sun Belt and C-USA.

Greg Sankey acknowledged this when he said:

“As I recall, they said, 'We've watched how you've led' — which is a compliment to me — and how our group has made decisions and how we've functioned, and they want to be a part of that.”

Conference realignment is still ongoing. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has recently been vocal about his conference's plan to pursue an aggressive expansion policy. Safe to say a full-blown conference rivalry is on our hands.