Yesterday a statement from Texas A&M corrected a New York Times Report from the day before that had claimed that A&M President Bowen Loftin had already sent a letter to Big 12 Board Chair Brady Deaton that said A&M was leaving the Big 12. The statement from spokesman Jason Cook said A&M did NOT send a withdrawal letter to the Big 12 Monday.
Well now ESPN.com’s Joe Schad writes that Loftin and Deaton spoke by phone Monday about A&M’s possible withdrawal and Schad says his sources claim that official letter could go out this week.
Now TexAgs.com’s Billy Luicci wrote yesterday that on Sunday, Oklahoma President David Boren and Missouri President Stephen Owens were on the A&M campus to speak with Loftin face-to-face about their desire that A&M stay in the Big 12.
The Big 12 board said yesterday the conference has formed a committee to discuss schools that could replace Texas A&M if the Aggies leave the league. Deaton told Schad that the committee could also address the possibility of expanding the conference even if Texas A&M stays put.
According to Schad, Deaton said the committee is looking at expansion in the “broadest context” and will make a recommendation to the board concerning whether expanding the conference “by one or more members” is beneficial.
According to ESPN’s sources within the Big 12, the conference has interest in Notre Dame, Arkansas, BYU or TCU.
SMU is the only school that has publically expressed interest in joining the Big 12.