After Destroying Two Leagues & Triggering Conference Realignment, Texas Meets Its Match (Article)
By Rock Westfall
Last week, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte lamented that college athletics lost its voice regarding the current emphasis on NIL, the transfer portal, and the loss of focus on education.
While Del Conte’s comments are fine on the surface, and he is not to blame for college football's current state, his employer is a major culprit dating back to the 1980s and the breakup of the Southwest Conference.
For as long as anyone can remember, Texas has always had its way when it came to dictating the way business was done in college football. Along the way, it destroyed the SWC and the Big 12 because of its selfish, overbearing ways. Furthermore, through its conduct, no other school in college football is more responsible for the continuous conference realignment of the past 15+ years. But if Texas thinks it will run roughshod over the SEC, it is in for a rude awakening.
The University of Texas likes to think of itself as above the other members of any conference it has been in. It has a haughty attitude regarding academics and culture. In fact, it seriously considered joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2010 because of its supposed academic and cultural superiority. But despite its aloofness, Texas has a shady past.
The Texas football program made its fame in the now-defunct Southwest Conference. In the 1970s and 80s, the Southwest Conference was utterly lawless, in a less sophisticated sort of way compared to now.
Back then, it was alleged and assumed that all of the SWC schools were giving players cars, cash, girls, "tutors," and other inducements. SMU was the most famous transgressor, getting the NCAA Death Penalty in 1987. Eric Dickerson, who was an SMU star, took a gold Pontiac Trans Am gift from Texas A&M and kept it after signing with SMU. Dickerson said that when he left SMU for the NFL, he took a pay cut. He wasn’t kidding.
That outlaw culture forced the SWC to fold after the 1995 season. Texas, along with Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor, became refugees who found a home in what was previously known as the Big Eight Conference. After the merger, it became the Big 12.
Despite arriving as immigrants from a folded, outlaw, renegade conference, the new Texas schools, led by the University of Texas, made themselves right at home in the Big 12.
First, they demanded that Prop 48 partially qualifying students no longer be accepted. Such players were a major staple in the Nebraska dynasty led by Tom Osborne. Next, they demanded that the league office be moved from Kansas City to Dallas. The maneuvers continued until the old SWC teams quickly achieved a hostile takeover of the Big 12.
In reality, then-Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds emerged as the Absolute Dictator of the Big 12, although frontmen such as Dan Bebe posed as the commissioner (in name only).
One of the great mysteries in college football history is why the Big Eight schools surrendered so meekly. It was not their league that turned into ashes over lawlessness. It was a shameful, unconditional capitulation.
As the years progressed, Texas formed the Longhorn Network in partnership with ESPN. In turn, the Longhorns were hoarding much of the Big 12 money. Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Missouri deeply resented the situation and left the Big 12. Colorado did, too, although the move was based on its cultural snot. Ironically, Colorado has since returned to the Big 12 after the Pac-12 imploded in 2023.
Finally, in the summer of 2021, Texas convinced Oklahoma to join them in the announcement of a move to the SEC. After damaging the Big 12 beyond repair, Texas felt the league they ruined no longer had enough prestige or revenue. In a bit of karmic justice, the Longhorn Network was a flop that never caught on.
The University of Texas is used to always having its way in everything. But in the SEC, their arrogance will not be tolerated. Texas is about to discover what it is like to be treated as an equal. It will be fascinating to see how Texas adapts to its new home. The past bullying of Texas won’t work in college football’s best league. Yet old habits are hard to break.
Enjoy your new home and circumstances, Bevo. You made the bed you are about to crap in.
By Rock Westfall
Last week, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte lamented that college athletics lost its voice regarding the current emphasis on NIL, the transfer portal, and the loss of focus on education.
While Del Conte’s comments are fine on the surface, and he is not to blame for college football's current state, his employer is a major culprit dating back to the 1980s and the breakup of the Southwest Conference.
For as long as anyone can remember, Texas has always had its way when it came to dictating the way business was done in college football. Along the way, it destroyed the SWC and the Big 12 because of its selfish, overbearing ways. Furthermore, through its conduct, no other school in college football is more responsible for the continuous conference realignment of the past 15+ years. But if Texas thinks it will run roughshod over the SEC, it is in for a rude awakening.
The University of Texas likes to think of itself as above the other members of any conference it has been in. It has a haughty attitude regarding academics and culture. In fact, it seriously considered joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2010 because of its supposed academic and cultural superiority. But despite its aloofness, Texas has a shady past.
The Texas football program made its fame in the now-defunct Southwest Conference. In the 1970s and 80s, the Southwest Conference was utterly lawless, in a less sophisticated sort of way compared to now.
Back then, it was alleged and assumed that all of the SWC schools were giving players cars, cash, girls, "tutors," and other inducements. SMU was the most famous transgressor, getting the NCAA Death Penalty in 1987. Eric Dickerson, who was an SMU star, took a gold Pontiac Trans Am gift from Texas A&M and kept it after signing with SMU. Dickerson said that when he left SMU for the NFL, he took a pay cut. He wasn’t kidding.
That outlaw culture forced the SWC to fold after the 1995 season. Texas, along with Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Baylor, became refugees who found a home in what was previously known as the Big Eight Conference. After the merger, it became the Big 12.
Despite arriving as immigrants from a folded, outlaw, renegade conference, the new Texas schools, led by the University of Texas, made themselves right at home in the Big 12.
First, they demanded that Prop 48 partially qualifying students no longer be accepted. Such players were a major staple in the Nebraska dynasty led by Tom Osborne. Next, they demanded that the league office be moved from Kansas City to Dallas. The maneuvers continued until the old SWC teams quickly achieved a hostile takeover of the Big 12.
In reality, then-Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds emerged as the Absolute Dictator of the Big 12, although frontmen such as Dan Bebe posed as the commissioner (in name only).
One of the great mysteries in college football history is why the Big Eight schools surrendered so meekly. It was not their league that turned into ashes over lawlessness. It was a shameful, unconditional capitulation.
As the years progressed, Texas formed the Longhorn Network in partnership with ESPN. In turn, the Longhorns were hoarding much of the Big 12 money. Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Missouri deeply resented the situation and left the Big 12. Colorado did, too, although the move was based on its cultural snot. Ironically, Colorado has since returned to the Big 12 after the Pac-12 imploded in 2023.
Finally, in the summer of 2021, Texas convinced Oklahoma to join them in the announcement of a move to the SEC. After damaging the Big 12 beyond repair, Texas felt the league they ruined no longer had enough prestige or revenue. In a bit of karmic justice, the Longhorn Network was a flop that never caught on.
The University of Texas is used to always having its way in everything. But in the SEC, their arrogance will not be tolerated. Texas is about to discover what it is like to be treated as an equal. It will be fascinating to see how Texas adapts to its new home. The past bullying of Texas won’t work in college football’s best league. Yet old habits are hard to break.
Enjoy your new home and circumstances, Bevo. You made the bed you are about to crap in.
