AUSTIN, Texas — Bye-bye Big 12, hello SEC. Texas and Oklahoma are finally making their long-awaited conference switch.The three-years-in-the-making switch to the Southeastern Conference for two programs that were co-founders of the Big 12 in 1996 officially happens Monday.
By mid-afternoon, thousands of fans had poured onto the Texas campus despite heat that flirted near 100 degrees , as children played on bounce houses, rock walls and slides. Misters cooled their parents who waited in long lines for autographs, photos with Longhorns coaches, and packed into merchandise tents for gear with the SEC logo.
As for Oklahoma and Texas, they originally planned to join the SEC in 2025, but ultimately reached a financial deal with the Big 12 for an Between them, the Sooners and Longhorns won 18 Big 12 football titles in 25 years, with Texas In its final year in the league, Texas won 15 league regular season or tournament championships across all sports, and national titles in volleyball and rowing.
Rey Torres, a former Longhorns walk-on defensive back who was a letterman by his final season of 1984 and season-ticket holder ever since, said he initially had “mixed emotions” about leaving the Big 12. He and his wife Debi posed for photos in front of the Longhorn marching band's giant “Big Bertha” drum.
“This is something we've been wanting since the Aggies moved,” Sisco said. “Now we can prove Texas can play with the big boys.”