Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell is publicly calling for Oklahoma to return to the Big 12 Conference following the Sooners’ controversial scheduling situation in the SEC.
Campbell responded Saturday to a statement from Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny regarding the postponement of the Sooners’ game against Alabama amid nationwide air travel disruptions.
“Let us know when you’re ready to come home @OUAthletic #BoomerSooner!” Campbell wrote on X.
He added, “I’m certain new @Big12Conference Commissioner @_delconte can make it happen!”
The comments immediately raised eyebrows given Oklahoma’s departure from the Big 12 for the SEC in 2024. And tagging and suggesting former TCU, and current Texas AD, Chris Del Conte as a future prospect for Big 12 Commissioner was something as well.
Oklahoma’s Scheduling Controversy Sparks Campbell’s Pitch
Campbell’s comments came in response to Denny’s lengthy statement addressing Oklahoma’s postponed game against Alabama.
Denny explained that the university had worked with the SEC and Alabama to find a solution after travel disruptions complicated the Sooners’ ability to reach the game.
However, he expressed frustration with the circumstances surrounding the postponement and the challenges it created for Oklahoma’s student-athletes and fans.
Campbell seized on the situation to suggest Oklahoma might be better off returning to its former conference.
While his comments appeared to be a public invitation rather than a formal proposal, they come from one of the most influential financial supporters in the Big 12.
Could Oklahoma Ever Return to the Big 12?
Oklahoma spent decades as one of the Big 12’s flagship football programs before leaving alongside Texas for the SEC.
The Sooners’ departure reshaped the conference, which has since expanded to 16 members.
To be clear, there is no indication Oklahoma is considering leaving the SEC or that discussions about a return to the Big 12 have taken place. But hey, in the ever-changing world of college athletics, it’s fun to think about. And now that conference championships are going away as of the 2027 season, what’s the point of a conference? Maybe we go back to teams just individually scheduling teams that are regionally convenient.
Still, Campbell’s comments highlight the lingering rivalry between the conferences and the continued significance of Oklahoma’s Big 12 history.
For now, it’s an intriguing public invitation from one of the conference’s most prominent boosters.
