Texas A&M to Leave Big 12

Texas A&M has let the Big 12 conference know that they will withdraw their membership in the conference. Monday night the New York Times reported that A&M President R. Bowen Loftin sent Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton a letter to let him know the school would be leaving.

Texas A&M is interested in joining the Southeastern Conference even though the conference denied them admission earlier this year. The SEC did leave themselves open to expansion in the future.

The Big 12 is worried that if Texas A&M leaves the future of the conference could be in jeopardy. Last July Nebraska left the conference to join the Big 10 and Colorado left to join the Pac-12. Loftin said that the decision to leave the conference would take into account how the Big 12 would be affected.

There has been speculation about what schools could join the conference if the Aggies leave and so far the only team that has expressed their interest is SMU, the school famously given the "death penalty" by the NCAA for corruption in the athletic department and lack of institutional control.

One complication to Texas A&M's leaving the Big 12 could be the contract that the conference signed with Fox Sports in April. The TV deal was worth more than $1 billion and could be rendered void if A&M is no longer included.