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Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SoutheasternConference.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it hadn’t received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne addressed his school’s decision toleave in a blog posted Wednesday.

Byrne said in the blog that the departures of Nebraska and Colorado and thecreation of the Longhorn Network made the Big 12 “considerably different” thanit was last summer—when he said the Aggies should remain in the league.

“There have also been other developments during the past several monthsthat have caused a great deal of uncertainty within the Big 12,” Byrne said inthe blog. “You all know the landscape of the Big 12 Conference was altered bythe creation of the Longhorn Network.”

He mentions the network’s attempts to televise high school games and the“attempt to coerce Big 12 schools to move their football games in Austin” tothe network. Byrne also said that Texas A&M was not offered the chance to jointhe Longhorns in the venture.

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

Kristie Rieken can be reached at http://twitter.com/kristieAP .

Fantasy Football 11 registration is open. Sign up today!

Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SoutheasternConference.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it hadn’t received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne addressed his school’s decision toleave in a blog posted Wednesday.

Byrne said in the blog that the departures of Nebraska and Colorado and thecreation of the Longhorn Network made the Big 12 “considerably different” thanit was last summer—when he said the Aggies should remain in the league.

“There have also been other developments during the past several monthsthat have caused a great deal of uncertainty within the Big 12,” Byrne said inthe blog. “You all know the landscape of the Big 12 Conference was altered bythe creation of the Longhorn Network.”

He mentions the network’s attempts to televise high school games and the“attempt to coerce Big 12 schools to move their football games in Austin” tothe network. Byrne also said that Texas A&M was not offered the chance to jointhe Longhorns in the venture.

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

Kristie Rieken can be reached at http://twitter.com/kristieAP .

Fantasy Football 11 registration is open. Sign up today!

Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SoutheasternConference.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it hadn’t received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne addressed his school’s decision toleave in a blog posted Wednesday.

Byrne said in the blog that the departures of Nebraska and Colorado and thecreation of the Longhorn Network made the Big 12 “considerably different” thanit was last summer—when he said the Aggies should remain in the league.

“There have also been other developments during the past several monthsthat have caused a great deal of uncertainty within the Big 12,” Byrne said inthe blog. “You all know the landscape of the Big 12 Conference was altered bythe creation of the Longhorn Network.”

He mentions the network’s attempts to televise high school games and the“attempt to coerce Big 12 schools to move their football games in Austin” tothe network. Byrne also said that Texas A&M was not offered the chance to jointhe Longhorns in the venture.

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

Kristie Rieken can be reached at http://twitter.com/kristieAP .

Fantasy Football 11 registration is open. Sign up today!

Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SoutheasternConference.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it hadn’t received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne addressed his school’s decision toleave in a blog posted Wednesday.

Byrne said in the blog that the departures of Nebraska and Colorado and thecreation of the Longhorn Network made the Big 12 “considerably different” thanit was last summer—when he said the Aggies should remain in the league.

“There have also been other developments during the past several monthsthat have caused a great deal of uncertainty within the Big 12,” Byrne said inthe blog. “You all know the landscape of the Big 12 Conference was altered bythe creation of the Longhorn Network.”

He mentions the network’s attempts to televise high school games and the“attempt to coerce Big 12 schools to move their football games in Austin” tothe network. Byrne also said that Texas A&M was not offered the chance to jointhe Longhorns in the venture.

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

Kristie Rieken can be reached at http://twitter.com/kristieAP .

Fantasy Football 11 registration is open. Sign up today!

Jeff Gordon clinches spot in NASCAR’s Chase

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon has clinched at least a wild-card berth in the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

NASCAR determined Wednesday that even if Gordon is knocked out of the top 10 in standings over the next two races, he still would get into the Chase via the wild card.

Gordon has two wins this season, and the only way he could fall out of the top 10 is if Brad Keselowski or Clint Bowyer win the final two races of the “regular season” to drop him out. Even if that happened, Gordon’s two victories would be enough to get him into the Chase.

Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards all clinched berths on Saturday night. Kevin Harvick clinched at least a wild card.

Bumgarner Ks 11 Cubs, Giants avoid sweep

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Madison Bumgarner(notes) matched his career high with 11strikeouts, Jeff Keppinger(notes) and Pablo Sandoval(notes) hit consecutive homers in thefourth inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 onWednesday to snap a three-game skid and avoid a sweep.

San Francisco Giants ' Car… AP – Aug 31, 6:27 pm EDT San Francisco Giants relief pi… AP – Aug 31, 6:22 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 6:18 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 6:17 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 6:17 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 6:17 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:37 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:30 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:19 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:19 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:19 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:18 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:18 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 5:18 pm EDT San Francisco Giants ' Jef… AP – Aug 31, 5:14 pm EDT San Francisco Giants ' Pab… AP – Aug 31, 4:52 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 4:47 pm EDT Chicago Cubs ' Starlin Cas… AP – Aug 31, 4:36 pm EDT SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 31:… Getty Images – Aug 31, 4:26 pm EDT Chicago Cubs starting pitcher … AP – Aug 31, 4:25 pm EDT San Francisco Giants starting … AP – Aug 31, 4:25 pm EDT Chicago Cubs starting pitcher … AP – Aug 31, 4:24 pm EDT Chicago Cubs second baseman Da… AP – Aug 31, 4:23 pm EDT 1 of 23 ChC-SF Gallery Series at a Glance Chi Cubs 7 San Francisco 0 Mon, Aug 29 – Final Chi Cubs 5 San Francisco 2 Tue, Aug 30 – Final Chi Cubs 0 San Francisco 4 Wed, Aug 31 – Final

On a day when general manager Brian Sabean began making big changes to thestruggling World Series champions, Bumgarner (9-12) was brilliant when his teamdesperately needed a boost.

Keppinger also drove in a run with a bloop single in the fifth off RodrigoLopez(notes) (4-6), who lost his third straight outing and dropped to 0-5 in eightcareer starts against San Francisco.

San Francisco began the day a season-high six games behind NL West-leadingArizona, which was hosting Colorado on Wednesday night.

Sabean shook up the roster before the game, designating infielder MiguelTejada(notes) and outfielder Aaron Rowand(notes)—the team’s second-highest paid player—forassignment.

Dazzling while winning his second straight start, Bumgarner allowed two hitsand walked two in eight innings. Manager Bruce Bochy stuck with him after aone-out walk to Geovany Soto(notes) in the eighth and Bumgarner got out of it.

Sergio Romo(notes) finished the Giants’ 11th shutout with a 1-2-3 ninth thatincluded a strikeout.

Keppinger drove the first pitch he saw from Rodrigo Lopez into theleft-field seats leading off the fourth for his team’s first lead in the series.Sandoval then splashed a shot into McCovey Cove beyond the right-field arcade—right to the eager kayakers who had been waiting to retrieve a rare souvenir inthe bay of late.

It marked the fourth time San Francisco connected for consecutive homersthis season and first since Freddy Sanchez(notes) and Aubrey Huff(notes) accomplished the featJune 2 at St. Louis.

Sandoval picked up his sixth career splash hit and second this year. It wasthe third by a Giant in 2011, 58th by San Francisco overall and No. 82 in thehistory of the 12-year-old ballpark. Barry Bonds, the home run king, has 35 ofthem.

Lopez has allowed two of Sandoval’s splash homers. The first came in 2009when the right-hander was with Philadelphia.

While this result was encouraging, the Giants realize there will have to bea lot more wins the rest of the way to stay in the playoff hunt.

San Francisco hasn’t won a home series in six opportunities since taking twoof three from the Brewers from July 22-24, and hasn’t won in five straightseries overall.

The Giants avoided being swept by the Cubs for the first time since May20-22, 1994, and in San Francisco since Sept. 13-15, 1993, at Candlestick Park.

Cubs slugger Alfonso Soriano(notes), who hit solo home runs in each of the firsttwo games and had homered in four of his previous seven overall, went 0 for 2with a walk and a strikeout.

Chris Stewart(notes) added an RBI double as the Giants’ bats produced enoughsupport for Bumgarner after Chicago had outscored San Francisco 12-2 in thefirst two games.

Still, San Francisco finishes up August at 11-18 with 78 runs—the lowestmonthly runs total since the Giants scored 77 in April 2009.

The 11 wins are the fewest in a month since getting 10 victories in April2009.

NOTES: San Francisco is 11-14 at home since the All-Star break. … Cubsmanager Mike Quade is keeping his rotation in order even with Thursday’s offday. … Giants RHP reliever Ramon Ramirez(notes) celebrated his 30th birthday. … SanFrancisco lined up its rotation to have its three best pitchers going againstthe Diamondbacks, starting with 10-game winner Matt Cain(notes) on Friday night for hisfifth 2011 start vs. Arizona. … The Cubs, who had their first winning month(16-13) since going 19-10 last September/October, return home to host Pittsburghfor a weekend series starting Friday. RHP Ryan Dempster(notes) (10-10) takes the moundafter losing his last two starts.

Fan who fell in Arlington listed as fair

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—A 24-year-old man is in fair condition at a Dallashospital four days after he fell 21 feet from a stairwell while leaving a gameat Rangers Ballpark.

Charles Thomas Conner of San Antonio was knocked unconscious by the fallonto a concrete floor underneath the stands Saturday night when the Rangers wereplaying the Los Angeles Angels.

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Sandra Minatra of Methodist Dallas Medical Center provided the update on thefan Wednesday.

The incident happened nearly two months after Brownwood firefighter ShannonStone died after tumbling out of first-row seats and about 20 feet to concretebehind the left-field wall when he reached out to catch a baseball tossed hisway.

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Indians DH Hafner may return soon

CLEVELAND (AP)—The injury-a-day Indians finally got a favorable medicalcheckup.

Designated hitter Travis Hafner(notes) received “encouraging” news Wednesday fromdoctors about his injured right foot and could return soon for the playoffchase.

“We’re going to be able to see him again,” manager Manny Acta said beforeCleveland hosted Oakland. “I don’t have a timetable yet, but it’s encouragingthat he’s going to be able to rejoin our team and play again—this year.”

Also, outfielder Michael Brantley(notes) had successful right hand surgery and isexpected to make a full recovery.

Hafner has been sidelined since Aug. 21, when he strained a tendon in hisfoot after hitting a single in Detroit and rounding first base. Hafner’s foothad been bothering him since he hurt it while sliding in April. He’s batting.281 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs.

Acta would not address if Hafner will need offseason surgery.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Acta said, deferring the question totrainer Lonnie Soloff, who was not available for comment.

Hafner did not speak with reporters. He left Progressive Field while theIndians were taking pregame batting practice.

Cleveland’s offense has sputtered and could use Hafner’s big bat back in themiddle of its lineup. With Hafner out, the Indians acquired slugger Jim Thome(notes) ina trade from Minnesota last week. Acta said he will use both Hafner and Thome atDH when both are healthy.

Because of a sore back, Thome is limited to playing just three days in arow, and he’s not in the lineup for day games after the Indians play theprevious night.

“He (Hafner) is not going to be able to play every day, and Thome is in thesame situation,” Acta said. “They’ll share duties.”

The Indians have been ravaged by injuries all season, yet have managed tostay near the top in the AL Central. They currently have six players—fivestarters—on the disabled list. Also, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo(notes) has been limitedby an injured side. He hasn’t played since Saturday.

But as August closes, the Indians are at least getting a little healthier.

Outfielder Grady Sizemore(notes) begins a rehab stint at Double-A Akron and couldrejoin the Indians within the next week. Sizemore has been out since July 18with a bruised knee. He will DH on Wednesday, play six innings in the outfieldon Thursday and then get a day off.

The Indians will see how he responds before deciding when to activate thethree-time All-Star, who came back from knee microfracture surgery and wasplaying well before getting hurt again.

Brantley, who is out for the season with the hand injury, underwent surgeryWednesday at the Cleveland Clinic. The Indians reported the operation by notedorthopedist Dr. Thomas Graham was a success and they expect the 24-year-oldBrantley to be ready for spring training.

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Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SEC.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it had not received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

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Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July

HOUSTON (AP)—The official Texas A&M fight song includes a line that bidsfarewell to Texas, “so long to the orange and white.” By this time next year,Texas A&M may have said goodbye to a lot more than its storied, century-oldrivalry with Texas.

Texas A&M announced Wednesday that it will leave the Big 12 Conference byJuly 2012 if it can find another home, preferably in the SEC.

The decision could set off another round of conference realignment incollege sports and it raises questions about the future of the Big 12, which isstarting the football season with 10 teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado.The Big 12 said it would move quickly to find at least one replacement for theAggies but offered no timeline.

“The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutionsare steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebesaid in a statement. “As previously stated, the conference will move forwardaggressively exploring its membership options.”

The Southeastern Conference said it had not received an application fromTexas A&M to join the league and that it would have no further comment. The SEChas reaffirmed its 12-school membership, but remains open to expansion talks.

Leaving the Big 12 “is in the best interest of Texas A&M,” said universityPresident R. Bowen Loftin, who formally notified the league with a letter afterearlier securing details on the withdrawal process. He said he hopes the movecan be amicable and presumably hopes to negotiate a reasonable exit fee.

“We are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M andour championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary andstable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,”Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully andmethodically.”

Texas A&M, which has been in the Big 12 since its founding in 1996, said itwill submit an application to join another, unspecified conference. If accepted,Texas A&M will leave the Big 12, effective June 30, 2012.

Texas, blamed by some for running off Nebraska with its deal with ESPN toset up its Longhorns Network, said it remains committed to the Big 12 even withits historic rivalry with Texas A&M in jeopardy. But Texas athletic directorDeLoss Dodds didn’t address the game or even A&M by name.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big12 conference,” Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence inthe league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping thefuture of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in thecountry.”

Texas and Texas A&M first met in football in 1894 and the annualThanksgiving game is a highlight of the season for many fans. Loftin said that a“primary criterion” when negotiating with another conference would be theability to continue the rivalry, but there’s no guarantee the new conference orthe Longhorns would agree to such a deal.

Like Texas, Baylor has been in the same league with Texas A&M since thebeginning of the Southwest Conference in 1914. With no push by Texas A&M tocontinue playing the Bears, they were disappointed that their football rivalry,which began in 1899, will end.

Baylor President Ken Starr still believes the Big 12 has a “brightfuture,” even without the Aggies.

“We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for manyreasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of ourathletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibranttraditions,” Starr said.

Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left the league in July a yearafter a wild round of realignment that also affected teams in the Mountain West,Big East and WAC.

So far, the only school to publicly express interest in joining the Big 12is SMU, the former Southwest Conference team that now plays in Conference USAand has climbed back to respectability after receiving the NCAA’s only “deathpenalty” punishment after a pay-for-play scandal in the 1980s.

Another Conference USA team, Houston, could also be an option for the Big12. Athletic director Mack Rhoades would not say Wednesday if he has been intouch with the Big 12 or any other conference.

“We’re always going to look to get better, and look for opportunity,”Rhoades said. “Whether that comes, whether that doesn’t, I certainly can’tanswer that. But we’re in a great conference right now, and we’re going tocontinue to be a great member. But we’re also going to do everything we can toget better.”

Rhoades said he believes A&M’s decision could be the first domino in changesacross the landscape of college football.

“Right now, let’s face it, that’s the world of college athletics,” hesaid. “Whatever happens here in the next week, two weeks, three months, whoknows what the timeline is? I don’t think it ends there. I think it’s going tocontinue to evolve over the next few years.”

The Big 12 has formed a committee to look for replacements.

“The chancellors and presidents of the Big 12 are committed to keeping ourconference competitively and academically strong,” said Missouri ChancellorBrady Deaton, who serves as the chairman of the Big 12 board of directors. “Wehave a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding thepossible expansion of the conference and to assure our members andstudent-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productiveopportunities in the best interests of all.”

The SEC said earlier this month it was happy with its current membership butleft the door open to expansion, and the Aggies certainly wouldn’t have madethis move if they didn’t believe they could eventually join the conference. TheAggies would need the votes of nine of the 12 presidents from the member schoolsfor the SEC to allow them into the league.

The Big 12 agreed to a 13-year television deal with Fox Sports in Aprilworth more than $1 billion, a contract that technically could be voided withTexas A&M’s departure and lead to legal issues for the Aggies.

A person familiar with that TV deal told The Associated Press on Wednesdaythat the league has indications from the network that if a suitable replacementcan be found that “they will be fine and keep the contract as is.” The person,speaking on condition of anonymity because the details are not supposed to bepublic, also said that the contract could remain in force at a discounted rateeven if the Big 12 had only its remaining nine teams.

The Aggies will also likely face an exit fee for leaving the Big 12,although it’s unclear how much that could be. Nebraska paid $9.25 million andColorado paid $6.9 million.

Texas state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, chair of the Senate Higher EducationCommittee, said she had no plans to call for a public hearing on the Aggies’decision to leave. Zaffirini, who graduated from Texas, said she would bedisappointed if the two schools end their football rivalry.

AP Sports Writers Chris Duncan, Stephen Hawkins, Jim Vertuno and John Zenorcontributed to this report.

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