Post by Vegas on Sept 3, 2011 18:19:10 GMT -5
Source: OU, Texas talking Pac-16
The concept of the Pac-16 is again being actively discussed by Pac-12 officials as well as officials at Oklahoma and Texas, a source close to the situation told ESPN's Joe Schad.
The source said those schools know the opportunity to join the Pac-12 is their decision. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech would also join the proposed Pac-16, according to the source.
The Longhorn Network is a potentially complicating factor but Pac-12 officials believe the parties could work through that.
Oklahoma was offered chances to join both the Pac-10 and the SEC last year but decided to stick with the Big 12, even as Nebraska left to join the Big Ten and Colorado joined the Pac-10. A&M's departure would drop the league that once had 12 teams down to nine members.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is in Arlington, Texas, for Oregon's game against LSU on Saturday night, but Texas officials told ESPN.com's Carter Strickland there is no meeting scheduled between Scott and Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds.
Scott has no plans to meet with Oklahoma officials, a school source told The Oklahoman on Saturday.
Oklahoma State billionaire booster T. Boone Pickens said Saturday he doesn't think the Big 12 will last much longer and believes the Cowboys eventually will end up in what's now the Pac-12 Conference.
Speaking before No. 9 Oklahoma State's season opener Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette, Pickens says the Big 12 probably won't exist in five years.
Oklahoma president David Boren said Friday that multiple conferences have shown interest in the Sooners recently and he expects to decide whether to leave the Big 12 or not within the next three weeks.
Boren said Friday that Oklahoma is seeking stability in its conference relationship with "partners that are both outstanding athletically and academically as well because a conference that's strong is not only stable but it's one in which there are multiple relationships, along with sports, between the university members."
He said he tried to prevent Texas A&M from leaving the Big 12 and was disappointed the Aggies announced this week they would seek to join another conference -- most likely the SEC -- by next July.
Missouri athletic director Mike Alden said Saturday that Boren's comments were eyebrow-raising, given what Missouri thought was a conference-wide belief in the future of the Big 12.
"It's somewhat surprising that comment came out because I know everybody's been working together," Alden said. "You put something like that out there and it just reinforces that image of being unstable."
Kansas State athletic director John Currie also said Saturday that his school remains committed to the Big 12, whether that means in its current configuration or through future expansion.
Currie told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday that he believes the nine schools that will make up the league after Texas A&M departs prefer to see the Big 12 endure. He also says the conference could add one or more members, but the primary goal is to achieve stability.
The concept of the Pac-16 is again being actively discussed by Pac-12 officials as well as officials at Oklahoma and Texas, a source close to the situation told ESPN's Joe Schad.
The source said those schools know the opportunity to join the Pac-12 is their decision. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech would also join the proposed Pac-16, according to the source.
The Longhorn Network is a potentially complicating factor but Pac-12 officials believe the parties could work through that.
Oklahoma was offered chances to join both the Pac-10 and the SEC last year but decided to stick with the Big 12, even as Nebraska left to join the Big Ten and Colorado joined the Pac-10. A&M's departure would drop the league that once had 12 teams down to nine members.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is in Arlington, Texas, for Oregon's game against LSU on Saturday night, but Texas officials told ESPN.com's Carter Strickland there is no meeting scheduled between Scott and Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds.
Scott has no plans to meet with Oklahoma officials, a school source told The Oklahoman on Saturday.
Oklahoma State billionaire booster T. Boone Pickens said Saturday he doesn't think the Big 12 will last much longer and believes the Cowboys eventually will end up in what's now the Pac-12 Conference.
Speaking before No. 9 Oklahoma State's season opener Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette, Pickens says the Big 12 probably won't exist in five years.
Oklahoma president David Boren said Friday that multiple conferences have shown interest in the Sooners recently and he expects to decide whether to leave the Big 12 or not within the next three weeks.
Boren said Friday that Oklahoma is seeking stability in its conference relationship with "partners that are both outstanding athletically and academically as well because a conference that's strong is not only stable but it's one in which there are multiple relationships, along with sports, between the university members."
He said he tried to prevent Texas A&M from leaving the Big 12 and was disappointed the Aggies announced this week they would seek to join another conference -- most likely the SEC -- by next July.
Missouri athletic director Mike Alden said Saturday that Boren's comments were eyebrow-raising, given what Missouri thought was a conference-wide belief in the future of the Big 12.
"It's somewhat surprising that comment came out because I know everybody's been working together," Alden said. "You put something like that out there and it just reinforces that image of being unstable."
Kansas State athletic director John Currie also said Saturday that his school remains committed to the Big 12, whether that means in its current configuration or through future expansion.
Currie told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday that he believes the nine schools that will make up the league after Texas A&M departs prefer to see the Big 12 endure. He also says the conference could add one or more members, but the primary goal is to achieve stability.
