Texas A&M Officially Tells Big 12 Conference They’re Leaving

Texas A&M officially told the Big 12 conference today that they will apply to a new conference as soon as the end of the 2012 spring sports season. This comes just a month after Texas A&M and SEC talks began. 

Texas A&M, who has been with the Big 12 since its formation in 1996, will begin the process of apply to a new conference. Should Texas A&M be given an invitation, they could leave as soon as June 30th, 2012.

Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin told Big 12 Commissioner Dan Bebee that he "determined it is in the best interest of Texas A&M to make application to join another athletic conference."

Texas A&M tried to leave the Big 12 conference earlier this month to join the SEC. Though, the SEC didn't offer the Aggies an invitation at that time, they didn't rule out the possibility of them joining at some future point in time.

No official word has come out yet from Texas A&M on which conference they will try to apply for, but the thoughts are trying again with the SEC. There's also no timetable set for A&M joining a new conference, but it should be a swift search.

"We appreciate the Big 12's willingness to engage in a dialogue to end our relationship through a mutually agreeable settlement," Loftin added in the Press Release, which came out earlier today. "We, too, desire that this process be as amicable and prompt as possible and result in a resolution of all outstanding issues, including mutual waivers by Texas A&M and the conference on behalf of all the remaining members."

Should Texas A&M leave the Big 12 conference, they'll be the third team in just over a year to have left. Colorado departed to join the Pac 12 while Nebraska left to join the Big 10.