Former Oklahoma basketball star Austin Reaves has signed on with the NBA Los Angeles Lakers as an undrafted free agent. The Sooners leading scorer last season was hoping to be selected in the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday, but when his name went uncalled, he waisted little time in agreeing to a two-way deal with […]
After six consecutive Big 12 championships and 14 in the last 21 years, Oklahoma football is moving to a new neighborhood, but not before likely adding at least a couple more championship trophies to the decorative display case at the Barry Switzer Center. What was once the Big 12 Conference — and since 2011 has […]
CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Board of Regents approved the move this morning.
Happy Friday, friends and fans!
The Oklahoma Sooners officially accepted a formal invitation to join the SEC following a unanimous decision from OU’s Board of Regents meeting held on Friday. With this development, the Crimson & Cream are set to become a fully-fledged member of the Southeastern Conference by July 1, 2025, although there remains the possibility of making a move as early as the 2022-23 athletic year.
It’s official. The OU Board of Regents just unanimously approved the Sooners’ move to the SEC. pic.twitter.com/oHWEBNdK1Z
Earlier in the day, the Texas Longhorns also made things official on their end after the UT System Board of Regents unanimously voted to accept the SEC’s formal invite.
So what’s next for Oklahoma and Texas? First, there is still a Big 12 season to be played in football and across all the conference’s sports over the next 11 months. Beyond that, all sides involved will presumably work to expedite the move-out process in an effort to switch all things Sooners and Longhorns over to the SEC. For now, it’s no guarantee that this will happen over the next year, but considering how quickly we’ve reached this point, there’s as good a chance as any we’re looking at the final year of the Big 12 as we know it.
Now onto this week’s Friday edition of Hot Links! AR12 heads to the City of Angels, Spencer Rattler added to yet another watch list, Russ West heads to LA via trade and more!
OU Links
Among the many points OU President Joseph Harroz addressed on Friday, one of the more intriguing bits was that the Sooners have a desire to continue the Bedlam rivalry with the Oklahoma State Cowboys beyond Oklahoma’s move to the SEC.
Harroz: “Make no mistake: We want the Bedlam rivalry to continue.”
Although he was not drafted, former Oklahoma men’s basketball star Austin Reaves signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. From here, he’ll have a chance to prove himself and earn his way onto the team or another. Good luck, my guy!
On Friday, redshirt sophomore QB Spencer Rattler was named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List. If he goes on to win the award this season, he’ll join Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978), Josh Heupel (2000) and Baker Mayfield (2017) as the only Sooners to take home the prestigious hardware.
Best Online Sportsbooks’ Andrew Scofield recently shared some updated numbers for Oklahoma Football’s upcoming 2021 schedule, including win total predictions and Heisman odds.
The OU Athletics Department announced a number of major gifts it’s received from several generous donors, including a $750,000 donation toward Patty Gasso’s world class softball program. Thank you, everybody! Boomer!
On draft night, Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell. In LA, Russ is set to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis for the 2021-22 NBA season.
Former Denver Broncos TE Jake Butt recently announced his retirement from the NFL, citing he no longer experiences the same joy for the game he once had before.
It’s all but a done deal. Oklahoma football is picking up its ball and officially moving to the SEC. The rich just got richer. On Thursday afternoon, the SEC presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to extend invitations to the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas to join the SEC. A whirlwind week of […]
Only one more step is needed for Oklahoma to officially set sail for the Southeastern Conference.
Happy Thursday, friends and fans!
A contingent of SEC school presidents met on Thursday to formally accept the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns into the Southeastern Conference.
NEWS | The @SEC Presidents & Chancellors voted unanimously Thursday to extend membership invitations to the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas to join the SEC effective July 1, 2025, with competition to begin in all sports for the 2025-26 academic year.
Needing a minimum of three-fourths approval (11 yes votes from the league’s current 14 teams), the necessary number of votes was apparently reached, resulting in an official invitation for OU and UT to become the newest members of the SEC family.
Board of Regents meetings for both Oklahoma and Texas are scheduled to convene on Friday morning to formally accept the SEC’s official invitation to the conference. From there, a timetable for how soon this will all come into effect going forward may become a bit more clear.
Now for today’s Hot Links! Bob Bowlsby takes action against the worldwide leader in sports, Cedarian Lamb jerseys are selling like hot cakes, the 2021 NBA Draft tips-off tonight and more!
OU Links
On Wednesday, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a cease-and-desist letter to ESPN, alleging that the sports network has manipulated its power by encouraging other leagues to scavenge the remaining Big 12 members while simultaneously assisting OU and Texas’ conference buyout as they begin their transition to the SEC.
On Thursday, sophomore WR and punt returner Marvin Mims was named to the 2021 Hornung Award Watch List for his prowess as one of college football’s most versatile players.
In other preseason awards-related news, senior safety Patrick Fields was named to the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for his impactful role as a leader in community service in addition to his excellence on the field.
Earlier this week, redshirt junior specialist Gabe Brkic was named to the 2021 Groza Award Watch List. This annual individual honor is reserved for the nation’s top collegiate placekicker. I expect big things from this young man this season. Boomer!
When Porter Moser and his Oklahoma men’s basketball team show up to the 2021 Myrtle Beach Invitational this fall, the Sooners will open up tournament play against East Carolina. Tip-off is now officially scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. CT.
ESPN college football guru Bill Connelly recently ranked all 130 FBS teams in terms of current program stability, and in his rankings, OU checked in as the fourth highest Big 12 team and No. 52 overall. Even as I understand his algorithm, we’ll have to agree to disagree.
According to the NFLPA, from the beginning of March to the end of May, former Oklahoma and current Dallas Cowboys WR Ceedee Lamb had the league’s highest-selling officially licensed jersey for a non-QB. Among the overall top 50, Lamb checked in at No. 5, Baker Mayfield at No. 29, Jalen Hurts at No. 34 and Kyler Murray at No. 38.
Around the Sports World
The Detroit Pistons are on the clock! Tonight at 7 p.m. CT on ABC, watch the 2021 NBA Draft. This year, Detroit has the first overall pick, and all signs point to that pick being Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham.
Tonight we welcome the newest members of the Pistons family.
Last week, an absolute bombshell was dropped on the college football world by the Houston Chronicle. While most of the nation was frozen in shock, diehard fans of Oklahoma football could see this coming. The Chronicle article stated that both Oklahoma and Texas have been in discussions with the SEC (Southeastern Conference) for a while […]
