The Alabama Journal of Montgomery reported that...

The Alabama Journal of Montgomery reported that Arkansas and Florida State have accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference.

Florida State and SEC officials denied the report, but Arkansas officials said the school would announce a decision soon.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed source, identified as a “highly ranked SEC official,” who said the two universities would join the SEC, bringing the number of teams in that conference to 12.

Florida State Athletic Director Bob Goin said: “If the story is we have accepted an invitation to join the SEC, that’s false. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have not been extended an offer, nor have we accepted one.”

Donald Zacharis, president of Mississippi State and president of the SEC, told Tupelo, Miss., television station WTVA that Florida State has not been issued a formal invitation.