What If Texas Joined the SEC in 1989?

TLDRIf Texas had joined the SEC in 1989 instead of waiting until 2022, it would have caused major changes in the college sports landscape. It would have prevented Arkansas from joining the SEC and potentially convinced Florida State to join as well. The ACC would have had to find new members, and the Big 10 might have pursued Notre Dame. The Southwest and Big 12 conferences would have looked different, with Texas A&M, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and potentially Baylor joining the Big 12 earlier.

Key insights

🏈Texas joining the SEC in 1989 would have prevented Arkansas from joining and potentially impacted the future membership of other schools.

🌴If Texas had joined the SEC, it could have influenced Florida State's decision to join the conference instead of the ACC.

🌐Other conferences like the Big 10 may have pursued Notre Dame to keep up with the SEC's expansion.

🌵The Southwest and Big 12 conferences would have looked different, with Texas A&M, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and potentially Baylor joining earlier.

💼The college sports landscape would have experienced major realignment and changes in conference affiliations.

Q&A

What impact would Texas joining the SEC have on Arkansas?

If Texas joined the SEC in 1989, it would have prevented Arkansas from joining the conference. The Razorbacks would have had to pursue other options for conference membership.

Would Florida State have joined the SEC?

If Texas had joined the SEC in 1989, it's possible that Florida State would have chosen to join the conference instead of the ACC. The presence of a premier brand like Texas could have influenced their decision.

How would other conferences be affected by Texas joining the SEC?

Other conferences, like the Big 10, would have likely pursued Notre Dame to keep up with the SEC's expansion. The college sports landscape would have experienced significant realignment.

What changes would there be in the Southwest and Big 12 conferences?

With Texas joining the SEC earlier, the Southwest and Big 12 conferences would have looked different. Texas A&M, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and potentially Baylor would have joined the Big 12 earlier.

What overall impact would Texas joining the SEC have on college sports?

The college sports landscape would have seen major realignment and changes in conference affiliations, potentially altering the balance of power among conferences.

Timestamped Summary

00:02Texas joining the SEC in 1989 instead of waiting until 2022 would have major implications for college sports.

01:50If Texas had joined the SEC in 1989, it would have prevented Arkansas from joining and potentially impacted other schools' future membership.

04:23Florida State might have chosen to join the SEC instead of the ACC if Texas had joined in 1989.

08:14Other conferences like the Big 10 may have pursued Notre Dame to keep up with the SEC's expansion.

10:56The Southwest and Big 12 conferences would have looked different, with Texas A&M, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and potentially Baylor joining earlier.

11:54Overall, Texas joining the SEC in 1989 would have caused major realignment and changes in college sports.