re: How long until we go to 16 teams?

Meh. I get what you're saying, but I think your logic is a little off. I think Arkansas has had more Texas kids actually do something on the field relative to LSU in the past. And let's tenement that from about 2000-2005, the Big 12 South was widely, if not unanimously, considered the best division in college football.

Until the last couple years, "playing in the SEC" didn't really have as much mystique as it does now. At the end of the day, most teams get their talent pool from the places they have always gotten them.

Texas just doesn't deliver that much to the conference as a whole now that A&M is in the fold. Especially moving forward. The population of former students is growing exponentiallu. I think it is both in the interest of A&M/LSU that they keep any other teams out because it really locks down the Houston talent pool, and keeps the focus of the city towards those two programs, and not just for recruits, but donors and potential students.