DALLAS – The great Texas A&M conference debate has ignited the Aggies’ fan base, spilled over into cyberspace and even has school legends debating the right path.
At stake: whether Texas A&M joins longtime rival Texas along with Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the bulked up Pac-10 or pursues its own destiny in the Southeastern Conference.
Multiple sources familiar with the situation described a sharply divided board of regents and a potential razor-thin margin either way, with the SEC camp having the momentum. Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, armed with invitations, will visit A&M officials on Sunday on a trip around Texas with stops at Texas and Texas Tech, a source familiar with the schedule confirmed.
Scott met Saturday with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Oklahoma has scheduled a board of regents meeting for Wednesday to consider conference membership. While athletic director Joe Castiglione has acknowledged talking to the SEC, he told the Tulsa World that the Sooners are linked with Texas.
Several schools, led by Baylor, were still trying to salvage the idea of a 10-team Big 12, minus departing Nebraska and Colorado.