Chris Del Conte explains why 2024 was 'right time' for Texas to join the SEC

If the contracts had played out, Texas would be staying in the Big 12 until the 2025 football season. However, for the low price of $50 million, athletic director Chris Del Conte has the Longhorns heading to the SEC in 2024. Oklahoma will add another $50 million to bring the total to nine figures to begin a new era of college football.

Letting the television deal with the Big 12 would have been easy for Texas and would have saved some cash as well. There were plenty of advantages to making the move earlier as well, especially when looking at other moves being made around the sport.

Del Conte seemingly wanted some alignment with others across the country while transitioning to the SEC.

“2024 made the most sense,” Del Conte said during his Virtual Town Hall meeting on Monday. “USC, UCLA going to the Big Ten, the playoff expanding to 12, and us being able to join at the same time was the right time.”

2024 has always made the most sense, for both the Big 12 and SEC. It’s a win-win scenario for both parties as they will be getting what they wanted all along.

There is still a whole year of conference realignment for moves to occur. However, as things stand, three major moves in college football will all be aligned at the same time.

Chris Del Conte says Texas-Oklahoma is not leaving Dallas

Since 1932, Texas and Oklahoma have played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The winner heads back up/down I-35 with the Golden Hat and bragging rights for the next 364 days. A longstanding tradition surviving multiple eras of college football, there is nothing to be worried about from the 2024 season on.

No Red River Showdown traditions will be changing with the SEC move according to Chris Del Conte. Specifically, with the venue. While the contract with the Cotton Bowl is expiring in a few years, the Texas athletic director is adamant the venue is here to stay for the rivalry game.

“The contract runs for the next three years and we’ll be in the process of renewing that contract,” Del Conte said during Monday’s Virtual Town Hall Meeting. “I’d like to stay employed with you all for as long as possible. So if I change that, I would be unemployed. I love the State Fair. I love the whole game… I have no plans at all of moving the game.”