Coach Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns football team figure to lose more than a longtime bitter rival if Texas A&M leaves the Big 12 for the SEC.

But Brown, speaking Sunday as indications continued to point to the Aggies' imminent departure, said the Longhorns' athletic programs and the conference they play in would persevere.

"A lot of people are worried about that," Brown said in a telephone interview with ESPN Radio. "Texas will be fine. I think the Big 12 will be fine regardless of what comes out of this, and we'll move forward."

A high-ranking source within Texas A&M confirmed to ESPN's Doug Gottlieb on Saturday the Aggies were intent on joining the Southeastern Conference. And they reportedly hope to begin play in the league starting as soon as 2012.