Texas Rejects Pac-10, Stays In Big 12

Austin, Texas -- The University of Texas threw a lifeline to the Big 12 conference Monday night.

The University announced it "will continue competing in the Big 12 conference."

The headline from the university in their official announcement read: "Texas remains a Big 12 conference member."

The news release might as well have said Texas saves the Big 12 conference, which was on a death watch after Nebraska and Colorado bolted last week.

Media reports had said Texas and other Texas schools were joining the Pac-10. But that will not occur.

In a brief phone conversation with the Dallas Morning News, Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott said: "We've been informed by University of Texas president Bill Powers that Texas will stay with the Big 12. We have not received definitive details about this decision. It is our understanding that Texas was going to meet the terms that we have proposed."

Scott went on a come-join-us mission across Texas and Oklahoma over the weekend. Colorado announced last week it was joining the Pac-10 while Nebraska is going to the Big 10.

University of Texas officials will discuss their decision at 10 a.m. Tuesday in a news conference at the Austin campus. Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe will also hold his own news conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

In a statement Monday night, Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said, "Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future. As Athletics Director Bill Byrne and I have stated on numerous occasions, our hope and desire was for the Big 12 to continue. We are committed to the Big 12 and its success today and into the future."

It was unknown Monday night how the Longhorns' decision will affect plans to hold a hearing on the future of the Big 12 in the Texas Legislature.

The chairman of the Texas House Higher Education Commission, said he would hold a hearing

Wednesday.Rep. Dan Branch said late Sunday that he is confident the governing boards of the University of Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M will wait until after the legislative hearing before deciding on any possible league changes.

The legislator from Dallas told the Austin American-Statesman that spoke, in the past few days, with the presidents of UT, Texas Tech and A&M.

University of Texas system regents plan to meet Tuesday.

Scott went on a come-join-us mission across Texas and Oklahoma over the weekend. Colorado and Nebraska have already left the Big 12.