According to our friends over at Burnt Orange Nation, the SEC has apparently decided not to invite the Texas A&M Aggies to join the SEC -- at least, not just yet. The SEC cites the current 12 team alignment as a big reason, seemingly disinclined to mess with something that is working well.
To me, expanding to 14 teams is fraught with risk, but does contain some reward. Inviting Texas A&M would bring another school that is solid in both football and basketball, opens up the Texas (particularly east and central Texas) to recruiting. Another good thing about it is that it would bring two former Southwest Conference foes, the Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks, back into a rivalry situation.
One problem is that the SEC would need to bring in at least one other school to make an even number. I am told by several people who carefully watch the situation that Virginia Tech would be excited to get an invitation to the SEC party. The problem with that is that they are a fairly small market team, and also have no natural rivals in the SEC. in fact, both schools have cultural issues with the SEC, although Texas A&M seems to be the more natural fit of the two. To me, being more of a basketball guy, Texas A&M looks like the western version of Auburn.
Lastly, I don't really like the idea of expanding beyond 12 teams. Whenever I look at that mess of a conference called the Big East, I cringe at the idea of thinking the SEC could do 14 or more teams any better than they do, which is to say, badly.
It seems that the SEC feels somewhat the same way in its reluctance to invite the Aggies, who seem ready and willing to come with nothing more than a come-hither look from Mike Slive & Co. Perhaps it's as much because Texas A&M is so willing that has an impact, but more likely it has something to do with the logistics of getting another team in the fold that will work, and for all the talk of the Clemson Tigers, the Florida St. Seminoles or the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, those schools have SEC members who would object strenuously to their inclusion.
So that's what I think. What do you think, dear reader, about the current conference realignment chatter?