Things are falling into place for the Oklahoma Sooners to compete in the Southeastern Conference.
The University of Oklahoma and The University of Texas formally requested an invitation to the SEC Tuesday morning. By the end of the week, OU could officially be heading to the SEC.
ESPN reports SEC campus leaders will meet about possibly extending that invite Thursday. Conference bylaws require a vote of three-fourth of the SEC's 14 members to extend an invitation for membership. The vote is largely considered a formality.
OU's Board of Regents announced they'll meet Friday morning in a special session about potentially joining the SEC in 2025, upon the expiration of a media rights contract with the Big 12.
The schools have hinted the move could come earlier as the landscape shifts. In order for OU and Texas to leave the conference earlier than 2025, they would either have to pay a penalty of $75 million to $80 million or hope the Big 12 dissolves before the expiration of the grants of rights contract.
Oklahoma State University President Kayse Shrum has vented her frustrations with OU over the process. On Monday, she released a statement that said, "It is difficult to understand how an Oklahoma institution of higher education would follow the University of Texas to the detriment of the state of Oklahoma."
Earlier today OU delivered a document to the Big 12 Conference office which indicated they will not sign the grant of rights agreement in 2024-25. This action was strategic, deliberate and is the result of months of planning with the SEC.
— Dr. Kayse Shrum (@drshrum) July 26, 2021
