AUSTIN, Texas, June 11 (UPI) -- A move to the Pac-10 Conference by at least four members of the Big 12 could come as early as next week, the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman reported Friday.
The newspaper, citing an official from a Big 12 school, said Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would join the Pac-10 as soon as formal offers are made, which could come over the weekend.
Texas A&M, meanwhile, was said to be trying to decide whether to join the Pac-10 or make a move to the Southeastern Conference. Breaking up the century-old rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M, however, was something state politicians were expected to do everything they could to prevent.
The American-Statesman said the Texas board of regents will meet Tuesday and a move to the Pac-10 was expected to be announced later that day.
The University of Nebraska officially left the Big 12 Friday to join the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska will begin competing in all sports in the Big Ten with the 2011-12 academic year.
Colorado had announced Thursday it was leaving the Big 12 for the Pac-10.
There have been reports for more than a week that the Pac-10 would eventually become a 16-team league -- split in two divisions. Six members from the Big 12 would join Arizona and Arizona State in one division and the remainder of the current Pac-10 teams in Washington, Oregon and California would make up the other.
