How competitive will Texas A&M be if it joins the SEC?

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Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the topic of the day. Weigh in with a comment of your own.

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

The idea of Texas A&M joining the Southeastern Conference isn’t sending shivers down the backs of SEC coaches and fans, at least not yet.

To be fair, until recently, the Aggies haven’t been relevant in the college football landscape for the last decade. However, with the recent upswing in the program the addition of A&M could be good for both the school and the conference.

The school gets better exposure with games being played on national television almost every weekend while also adding an increase in revenue. The SEC would gain traction in the state of Texas for recruiting and fan base.

Texas A&M would probably join the SEC West, which means they will have to compete against the Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Auburn. If the Aggies, who were 9-4 last season, had been in the SEC West in 2010 they would have finished fifth or sixth in the division.

Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune

Great question. You wonder if Texas A&M’s leadership has even gotten that far in weighing the pros and cons of deserting the Big 12.

We know that what’s fueling this move is the Aggies’ inferiority complex to Texas. It’s certainly not a desire to form a rivalry with Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.

Bottom line, the Aggies have been only marginally competitive in the Big 12 for the last 15 years. They’ve won one bowl game since 1995, and that was sponsored by a furniture company.

The temptation is to say that with A&M moving up in class to the SEC the Aggies will get crushed like a folding chair under the weight of a Longhorn. But A&M is on the rise, now in the trusty hands of Coach Mike Sherman. And, hey, it’s hard to imagine them being less competitive than they have been in the Big 12.

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