Big 12 Expansion: Top 5 Teams The Conference Could Add

But twice in the past six weeks, the league has gone on the attack. “For right now, we’re extremely proud to be in the American Athletic Conference”.

The Big 12’s board of directors, comprised of school presidents and chancellors, voted unanimously Tuesday in Irving to have Commissioner Bob Bowlsby contact and evaluate schools that have expressed an interest in joining the conference, then report back.

There were plenty of questions from Oklahoma and Texas reporters asking if the Big 12 planned to boot Baylor or if the conference was going to sanction the Bears in some way. Being in Texas is either a deal-breaker for a conference that already thinks Houston is Big 12 country, or a good way to lock up a part of the state that has been infiltrated heavily by the SEC since Texas A&M joined. In essence, that means the ACC has locked in its current lineup through that year, because any team that leaves would have to forfeit its media rights and all the money that goes with them back to the conference. In addition to adding potential candidates to the 10-team league, Boren said the board of directors also examined the creation of a conference television network, a decision that comes on the heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference deciding on a soon-to-be launched ACC network in the upcoming years.

“Obviously I don’t know how to set it up”, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said.

Flags from various collegiate teams wave at the Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship held at Hayward Field in Eugene, OR on June 10, 2015.

Connecticut – Perhaps no school suffered more from conference realignment than UConn, a longtime Big East member that was shoved from college sports’ main stage.

Some Big 12 members privately preferred sitting tight at 10 schools, strengthening the conference and making a play for football powers Florida State and Clemson as their contracts neared completion.

Whether the conference ultimately expands by two or four teams, the new members likely won’t be able to officially join the Big 12 until the summer of 2017.

“We’re not talking about just athletic partners, which of course that’s very important”, Boren said.

Bowlsby said the league would consider adding two or four teams.

The expansion frenzy has returned. They aren’t that close to the rest of the Big 12 in location, but they’re close enough. Cincinnati seems most often mentioned.

Boise State: There would be logistical travel concerns by expanding this far west, but Boise State would be the best football program the league could bring in if you look at results over the last decade. And maybe Memphis. It opens a different market than say Houston would. Memphis has corporate backing.

The Big 12 Conference presidents have made an about face and are going to aggressively pursue expansion, which only furthers my views that the people who run universities may be blessed with high IQs but aren’t always intelligent.

“I hate to say everyone, but I’m guessing most universities are having some of the same issues we’ve had at Baylor”.

The Big 12 is coming off a season in which Oklahoma played in the College Football Playoff, proving the conference doesn’t need a championship or more members to get a seat at the table. It happens in other sports.