AUSTIN, Texas — Bye-bye Big 12, hello SEC. Texas and Oklahoma are finally making their long-awaited conference switch.
But first, it’s time to party with Bevo (the longhorn) and Pitbull (the human).
The three-years-in-the-making switch to the Southeastern Conference for two programs that were co-founders of the Big 12 in 1996 officially happens Monday.
And for their move to a league where “It Just Means More,” Texas and Oklahoma have scheduled big campus celebrations Sunday and Monday with carnivals, live music and fireworks. Oklahoma’s even stretches to events statewide.
Texas Oklahoma SEC Party Football
Fans gather at the University of Texas in Austin for a campus celebration on Sunday for the school’s move from the Big 12 to the SEC.
The SEC Network planned live programming from both campuses over the two days, and Longhorns and Sooners fans had their first chance to buy SEC-branded school merchandise.
By mid-afternoon, thousands of fans had poured onto the Texas campus despite heat that flirted near 100 degrees (38 Celsius), as children played on bounce houses, rock walls and slides. Misters cooled their parents who waited in long lines for autographs, photos with Longhorns coaches, and packed into merchandise tents for gear with the SEC logo.