Report: Missouri leaning toward applying to SEC
The University of Missouri is expected to apply for membership to the Southeastern Conference, according to a report in the New York Times.
A source close to the situation told Times reporter Pete Thamel that a decision to join the SEC is “inevitable and imminent," even though a time frame for an announcement has not been set yet. Missouri's Board of Curators is scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where Thamel reports the school will begin the process of leaving the Big 12 and applying to the SEC.
Thamel's source said the school expects no opposition from SEC presidents when the voting process begins.
If accepted, Missouri would become the SEC's 14th member and could conceivably begin playing in the conference as soon as next year. Texas A&M also left for the SEC earlier this fall amid legal threats from remaining Big 12 members, something SEC presidents would likely prefer to avoid if MU also decides to bolt.
Missouri's exit would leave the Big 12 at nine teams. Interim Commissioner Chuck Neinas said last week he'd prefer to expand conference membership to either 10 or 12 schools, but an official decision would wait until Missouri announced its intentions.
“From a realistic standpoint, I don’t think you can evaluate whether you want 10 or 12... until Missouri gives us an indication as to their preference," Neinas said. "This is my personal opinion, you remember I work for people, but my personal opinion is that we can't address the 10 versus 12 (issue) until we determine that Missouri is going to be one of the 10.”