Texas and Texas A&M officials to meet to discuss future of Big 12

Texas and Texas A&M to discuss Big 12 future

AUSTIN, Texas — The presidents and athletic directors of Texas and Texas A&M met Thursday to discuss the future of their athletic programs and the Big 12.

Texas President William Powers Jr., athletic director DeLoss Dodds and women’s athletic director Chris Plonsky met with Texas A&M President Bowen Loftin, athletics director Bill Byrne and other university system officials at an undisclosed location.

The meeting came as Colorado accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 and amid reports that Nebraska could be ready to join the Big Ten.

Dodds has said he wants to keep the Big 12 together, and Texas A&M spokesman Jason Cook said the meeting Thursday included “several topics of mutual interest to both institutions” but that “no decisions were made or agreements reached.”

If Nebraska also leaves the Big 12, other schools could follow. The Pac-10 is reportedly interested in inviting Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech to form a 16-team league, while the Aggies could also head to the Southeastern Conference.

During a conference call, Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott declined to comment on what other schools may be invited. Texas did not immediately comment on Colorado’s decision to leave.

“There are several different scenarios that could play out here,” Scott said, adding there have been “no assurances” made to other schools and “no invitations have been issued.” Scott even said the Pac-10 could add Colorado and no one else.

Baylor and Texas Tech officials have said that even if the Big 12 breaks apart, they want to remain with Texas and Texas A&M as members of the same conference. But Baylor, the only private school in the Big 12, could get left behind.

“Baylor is working feverishly to keep the Big 12 together,” athletic director Ian McCaw said Thursday. “It is of special importance to keep the four Big 12 schools from Texas together.”

Though there is expected to be political pressure to do so, the office of Texas Gov. Rick Perry denied reports that he asked officials from the four schools to meet with him Thursday to discuss their futures. Perry is running for re-election and is scheduled to attend the state Republican convention in Dallas beginning Thursday night.

Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said Perry did not have meetings with the schools.

“The governor is not involved right now, and he’s not going to be involved,” Nashed said.

Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said Thursday he had not heard from the Pac-10.

“I haven’t talked to the commissioner out there. We haven’t done anything,” Myers said.

Former Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum, who now works as a special advisor to school president Bowen Loftin, said football programs are carrying increased financial burden to support other sports, so they’re drawn to potentially massive TV contracts for more revenue.

“You look at the level of funding that all programs need to have, and it’s a business decision that universities now have to make,” Slocum said.

Slocum said any decision A&M makes will be based purely on its financial impact, and not on more intangible elements, like preserving traditions and rivalries.

AP Sports Writers Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Chris Duncan in Houston and Associated Press Writer Betsy Blaney in Lubbock contributed to this report.