In this Aug. 6, 2011, file photo, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops looks on during Oklahoma football media day in Norman, Okla.

After another uncertain offseason for the Big 12, there is finally some talk about playing actual games.

At least from the coaches.

Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops and Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville know there will be plenty of attention given to the future of the Big 12, which was hit this month with word that No. 8 Texas A&M is exploring a jump to the Southeastern Conference, a move that became all but certain late Monday night with a report A&M officially sent word it was leaving the league.

All that before the league plays its first games since Nebraska and Colorado left in July.

“I’m excited that we’re starting so we can kind of get all this behind us,” Tuberville said Monday. “Of course, there’s going to be rumors and things flying around as we go through this season. For our players, especially for our seniors on every team in the conference, hopefully we can get down to business and enjoy the game of football.”

All 10 league teams play their season openers this weekend at home. The last opener is Texas A&M’s game Sunday against SMU, a team whose athletic director has publicly expressed an interest in becoming a Big 12 member.

The Big 12’s first game this season is Friday night when Baylor, coming off its first winning season since 1995, plays No. 14 TCU, the defending Rose Bowl champ that has won 25 consecutive regular-season games. No. 1 Oklahoma goes against instate rival Tulsa and Texas Tech plays Texas State, which is making the transition from FCS to FBS.

Texas A&M reportedly formally notified the Big 12 that it was leaving, though that wouldn’t affect the Aggies’ schedule this season.

“Well, changes are probably inevitable no matter who you are or what league you’re in. Everybody’s constantly looking for a different way to do something, so that’s OK,” Stoops said during the Big 12’s first coaches’ teleconference of the season. “The rest of us, we’re going about our business, working hard and getting ready to play this week.”

Even Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman insisted that his focus is on the upcoming season in the Big 12, not where the Aggies might be playing in the future.

“Things happen. We can only control what we control and that’s how we’ve prepared for the season,” Sherman said. “We have a bunch of seniors on this team that will never play in that conference, and they really at this point could care less. They’re concerned about winning this season, as are the rest of the guys on this team.”