Statement from Dr. Bernie Machen, Chair, Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors:

“The SEC Presidents and Chancellors met today and reaffirmed our satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment. We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league. We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with respect to any institution including Texas A&M.”

Think it’s going to awkward at the next Big 12 party when Texas A&M shows up?

What this means is simply that the SEC needs more time.

They need time to determine is Texas A&M is a worthwhile addition. If you recall from last summer, it was the Pac-10 that was to be perceived as the “bad guy”, changing the landscape with the proposed Pac-16. So adding TAMU and a 14th school would have been reactionary. If the SEC is going to change the game, they need to be smart about it.

The SEC ADS are planning to meet this week and the topic will be discussed as well.

The other large hold-up in a Texas A&M invite was the last of a defined (and worthy quality) 14th school. With the hesitations that some current SEC schools have over adding in-state rivals, it’s not as easy as cherry picking the top school available. It could mean settling for Missouri…a school passed over by the Big Ten last year, or Big East schools WVU or Louisville.

And as many have pointed out, the “no decision” today could be a tactic in which TAMU leaves the Big 12 first and the SEC invites them as an independent rather than as a member of the Big 12.