I'm trying to wrap my head around what might be the craziest expansion rumor I've heard. There have been ones that might have been bigger (the whole Texas, Oklahoma, etc... forming a Pac-16 and destroying the Big 12 was big). I've heard ones that were pretty dumb, like Colorado St. to the Big 12.
This though, let's put every single football power from the SEC, Southwest Conference, and Big 8 (except Nebraska) in one conference together thing is a pretty harebrained idea.
Financially, if the SEC hadn't already inked their big deal with ESPN, I could see this making more sense. The thing is, it is signed already. So, the SEC doesn't have any negotiations going on. I could see a scenario where they could have used Texas and Oklahoma as leverage to try to get 5+ million more per team, but as it is they'd have to try to renegotiate just to maintain the same payouts.
Politically, I'd think Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma St. would lead the charge against this. I really doubt Missouri would like the idea of this either. Remember Texas A&M and Missouri left to get away from Texas and Oklahoma and what was going on in the Big 12. They don't want more of that.
Regionally, I would have thought the Missouri and A&M additions did everything the SEC could hope for in the region. As it is, even with less regional teams the SEC has about as much brand power as the Big 12. Consider LSU, Missouri, Arkansas, and A&M's brand up against Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Baylor for example. The SEC has a lot of influence without a lot of investment in the region. If the SEC expands, I would think east and north offer more opportunities for mutually beneficial expansions.
From Oklahoma's perspective I could see the addition making some sense, but rumor is Oklahoma had the chance to join the SEC at least once before and didn't take it. So they have to see the risks as well. They might just fear being left behind financially though. They're in a small state and the Big 12 is lagging behind financially, they might be feeling some unease. Still though, it would be a lot to bite off.
The only reason I can see Texas doing this is either ego or some sort of deep seated fear that A&M is going to surpass them and they can't do anything about it. They have plenty of money already, they're the top revenue generation athletic department. They don't need to move, and they can kind of pick where they go as every other conference not named the SEC could gain from entering the state of Texas.
Really, this makes the most sense to me as flirting with someone to get someone else's attention. The SEC should feel no sense of urgency to add any more teams and if they do they have every reason to be selective. Texas and Oklahoma aren't even their only options out west. There is also Kansas, which would in the least offer a good basketball rival for Kentucky. Once you start going east you have North Carolina, NC State. Virginia and while I'm not in love with them I think even Virginia Tech offers the SEC more.
Even going north makes more sense to me. Not in love with Cincinnati, but Ohio is a big state. Then there's Notre Dame as well. Point being there are other solid options, and that doesn't involve dealing with Texas and greatly annoying Texas A&M. This would in the very least be a risky move, it could greatly unsettle things within the SEC.
Just the rumor itself means something though. It weakens the Big 12 and may be that's what Oklahoma and Texas are going for. They are the bullies of the conference and might have more demands. The other Big 12 teams are going to agree to what ever they say if they fear their leaving, because without those two programs this is is another AAC type conference.
I have trouble making sense of this because there is already so much turmoil and the SEC is already so loaded with football powers. I'm curious how the Big 12, ACC and Pac-12 might react to just the rumors of this.