Bob Bowlsby seems to not be too pleased with how Oklahoma and Texas decided to join the SEC.

On Wednesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke with Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman at Big 12 Media Day for men’s basketball. And when Bowlsby was asked if he was upset regarding the departure of the Sooners and Longhorns, he stated, “I can’t allow myself that.”

“I have to get over the sense of personal betrayal and do what’s necessary for our eight continuing members,” Bowlsby added, per Davis. “And that’s what we did.”

However, Oklahoma and Texas remain in the Big 12 for now. And Bowlsby anticipates that the schools will stay in the conference until June 30, 2025, rather than try to leave for the SEC earlier.

“We’re going to have to find ways to get along,” Bowlsby told Davis. “We have to work together, and we will. But I would say trust is at a relative low.”

When Bowlsby was asked by Davis if he knew why Oklahoma and Texas are leaving, he said he hadn’t the “vaguest idea” and that neither school is giving the Big 12 answers to that question.

There are a bunch of strong programs in the SEC. By moving to the conference, Oklahoma and Texas will have matchups against Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida and more.

However, Bowlsby pointed out that not every program in the SEC — nor the Big 12 — is a powerhouse. He even compared one SEC football program to Kansas, which has mostly been not competitive in recent years.

“Well, here comes Vanderbilt,” Bowlsby told Davis. “Every league is structured similarly to what ours is. There’s three or four bell cows and there’s the rest.”

No matter what Bowlsby or anybody else says, though, Oklahoma and Texas are heading to the SEC in the near future. Even if he and the Big 12 appear not to be the happiest about how things transpired.

Jake Rill

Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. He has covered the SEC since 2016.