When Oklahoma and Texas hit the road in the Big 12 for the first time since announcing they would join the SEC, expect opposing fans at both games to harbor even more hatred than usual. <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/i-cant-imagine-going-through-that-oklahoma-texas-get-a-glimpse-of-nastiness-that-awaits-195301335.html">A report from Yahoo! Sports</a> indicated just how harsh road environments could be for the Sooners and Longhorns.



Oklahoma travels to Manhattan to play Kansas State in Week 5 while the Longhorns head off to Fort Worth against TCU. Those who have been in their shoes before say it won’t be fun. 



“It’s almost like you’re divorced, you’ve already announced that you’re going to be divorced,” former <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/teams/missouri/">Missouri</a> athletic director Mike Alden said. “But you’re there hanging out together. It’s tough to co-exist.”



Alden was at Missouri when the Tigers left the conference for the SEC in 2012. He remembers all too well what it felt like playing in Big 12 venues for the last time as a member. 



The good thing for Missouri was that it’s transition was quick, lasting only one year. However, Oklahoma and Texas aren’t scheduled to leave until 2025, when their agreement with the conference expires. 



“I can’t imagine it,” Alden said. “I don’t know anything about all the dynamics of contractual negations and stuff. It was challenging enough to be in the filing for divorce standpoint for a year. I can’t imagine going through that for four years.”



Should Oklahoma and Texas stay the full length of their contract, it would be a unprecedented time for conference realignment. Players who signed with the schools as freshman in 2021 will endure hate from opposing crowds for their entire career.



“The ones you feel the most for are the kids, for that animosity,” Alden said. “They had no decision in that. They’re just playing and they understand hostility [on the road], but you add this other dynamic to it. It becomes even more challenging. One of the unsaid things should be the most important thing – how is this impacting your kids?”



Oklahoma and Texas could certainly leave the Big 12 before 2025, but would have to pay a hefty price. Exit fees are an estimated $160 million combined, and don’t expect the remaining schools to go easy on the exiting members.



Former Big East football commissioner Nick Carparelli Jr. isn’t a fan of the awkward tension conference realignment can cause. Carparelli took over as commissioner in 2002 and left in 2013 when the league became the American Athletic Conference. When the Big East had exiting teams, it did not allow them to take place in league meetings. 



“You can’t really talk about future conference business while they’re in the room,” Carparelli said. “They’re part of a competing league. It’s a mess. It’s a total mess. There’s nothing easy about it.”



The sentiment is shared by others who have been a part of past conference realignments. After Boston College lost to Syracuse in its last year in the ACC in 2004, Eagles coach Tom O’Brien vented postgame about how difficult the year had been. 



“I’m glad it’s over,” O’Brien said. “It’s been a tough year and a half. Just everything that we’ve had to put up with, said and unsaid, the treatment. It didn’t have to end this way with the Big East, but for whatever reason, there’s a lot of animosity towards Boston College and it just wasn’t a good thing.”



Then Eagles athletic director Gene DeFilippo had either the Boston College police chief or one of his lieutenants by his side at every road game that year. He still recalls fans throwing coins — from nickels to dimes and even quarters — his way. 



It’s memories such as these that make four years seem like an unbearable amount of time for those with experience exiting a conference. 



“I’m guessing for all concerned,” O’Brien said, noting he has no inside knowledge, “it might happen sooner.”



Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione said the treatment of his players over the next few seasons has been on his mind. As Oklahoma and Texas get set to endure an inevitable parade of insults, chants and boos in Big 12 road games, the athletes’ well-being is among the top of their concerns.



“Wouldn’t someone be obtuse not to think of that?” Castiglione said. “We’re mindful of all of the different experiences that we may face. We’ve talked about that. I believe that everyone just accepts it, understands it and turns all their attention to focusing on that game. That’s it. We’ve played in very challenging environments forever. It’s certainly something in the back of our minds.”

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Report: UT, OU face 'challenging environments' in final Big 12 road games

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Report: UT, OU face 'challenging environments' in final Big 12 road games

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