Conference realignment has reshaped college football. Here is where Texas schools landed and what it means.
The new landscape for Texas schools:
- Texas — SEC (joined alongside Oklahoma)
- Texas A&M — SEC (already there since 2012)
- TCU — Big 12
- Baylor — Big 12
- Texas Tech — Big 12
- Houston — Big 12 (joined from AAC)
- SMU — ACC
- UNT — AAC
- UTSA — AAC
- Texas State — Sun Belt
- Rice — AAC
Winners:
- SMU — ACC membership is a program-changing upgrade. Power conference revenue and recruiting advantages.
- Houston — Big 12 membership after decades as a Group of 5 school. The Cougars now have a path to the CFP through a power conference.
- Texas — SEC membership plus the 12-team CFP means the Longhorns play on the biggest stage.
Losers:
- TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech — Stayed in the Big 12, but the conference lost Texas and Oklahoma. The TV deal revenue dropped. Perception as a "lesser Power 5" conference.
- Rivalry disruptions — Texas-Texas A&M is no longer an annual game (may be scheduled sporadically). Texas-Tech lost its annual game with Texas.
The DFW impact:
- DFW now has SEC (Texas, A&M), Big 12 (TCU, Baylor, Tech), and ACC (SMU) alumni all in one city.
- Saturday sports bar arguments just got more complicated.
Sources:
- ESPN — conference realignment tracker
- Big 12 — membership and revenue data
- SEC — expansion details
- AAC / Sun Belt — membership changes
Is it just me?
Houston joining the Big 12 was long overdue. They have been knocking on the power conference door since the SWC dissolved. The Dana Holgorsen years almost ruined it.