Pete Thamel says Oklahoma, Texas ADs would prefer to get SEC move "over with"

Rewind a year ago at SEC Media Days and the news broke over Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12 in favor of the SEC. Nothing at that point was official but a vote occurred shortly after the event and made the Sooners and Longhorns members by the 2025 football season.

However, there is a thought the two programs could be on the move before the Big 12 media right end, allowing them to move to the SEC for free. ESPN’s Pete Thamel laid out why, saying the length between announcement and actually moving will feel like a long time. Especially with a new commissioner in the Big 12, there could be a fresh slate of negotiations.

“Well, I think the Oklahoma and Texas situation is a simple one,” Thamel began. “They have three football seasons remaining on that deal. Two of those seasons, ESPN is not the primary broadcaster of them and the third one, it is. So let’s make logical sense. If they are to leave early, it would only be by one year.

“There’s nothing imminent about that process happening but there has been more of a sense of openness to it. Brett Yormark, the new Big 12 commissioner, mentioned that at Big 12 Media Days. It would be four seasons since they announced it, that’s a long time.”

Thamel went on to reveal if Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione and Texas’ Chris Del Conte were telling the truth, they would want to get to the SEC as soon as possible. The conference’s commissioner, Greg Sankey, more than likely shares the same opinion but would not budge during his appearance at Media Days.

“If given some truth serum, I think the athletic directors at Oklahoma and Texas would like to get it over with. Greg Sankey would certainly like them in the league but he is clinging defiantly to the company line. Which is, ‘that’s not my decision, that’s their decision. And it’s a league decision.’ They will wait until an option is perhaps presented to them in the future.”

If 2025 does end up being the season, college football will look incredibly different around the SEC. With the Big Ten making their big splashes and the Big 12 even making their moves, Oklahoma and Texas could be motivated to get the ball rolling. Even if both Castiglione and Del Conte publicly say they will wait a few more years, the transition could be coming sooner.