With the news official, the SEC is welcoming Texas and Oklahoma with open arms.

If you missed the news on Friday, both Texas and Oklahoma have accepted invitations to join the SEC after the league voted to offer invites to both schools on Thursday.

As of right now, Texas and Oklahoma are scheduled to start competing in the SEC on July 1, 2025. Both schools are under contract in the Big 12 until that point.

However, it is expected that Texas and Oklahoma will fight hard to get out of those contracts early.

Following the news, several leaders in the SEC issued their welcome statements to the Longhorns and Sooners.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey:

“This is an important moment for the long-term future of the Southeastern Conference and our member universities. Oklahoma and Texas are outstanding academic institutions with two strong athletics programs, which will add to the SEC’s national prominence.  Their additions will further enhance the already rich academic, athletic and cultural legacies that have been cultivated throughout the years by our existing 14 members. We look forward to the Sooners and Longhorns competing in our Conference starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

“The Southeastern Conference’s dedication to the success of our member institutions – and our members’ commitment to one another – has produced a sustained level of excellence unrivaled throughout college sports,” Sankey added.  “It is the unity and collaboration of our institutions that makes the SEC special, and Wednesday’s decision of the Texas A&M Board of Regents to approve a vote supportive of Conference membership for their long-time in-state rival is an example of the overall culture of this Conference. I appreciate the opportunity for our Conference to move forward with a spirit of unanimity.”

SEC President/University of Georgia Jere Morehead:

“The Presidents and Chancellors of the Southeastern Conference are pleased to welcome the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas. Both universities are prestigious academic institutions with strong athletics programs similar in tradition, culture and success to our current member universities.  We look forward to a productive and successful future together beginning in 2025.”

South Carolina AD Ray Tanner:

“The addition of the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma into the Southeastern Conference will excite Gamecock student-athletes, coaches, and fans. Thirty years ago, the University of South Carolina accepted an invitation to join the SEC. Each day since, the young men and women who have represented our program have benefited from the conference’s mission. The SEC continues to be positioned well for athletic and academic success, and we are proud to be part of such a great conference that enriches the experiences of our student-athletes. The SEC is the best and toughest athletic conference in the nation. Our student-athletes and coaches have always enjoyed competing in this great league and look forward to the opportunity to do so against the Longhorns and Sooners as members of the SEC.”

Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek:

https://twitter.com/HunterYurachek/status/1421150814077325316