The Big 12 Is Looking Into Expansion - What Schools Are Out There and Who Can Get Screwed
The Big 12 is starting to become the desperate ex trying to keep up with your life. At first expansion was ready to happen, then it was presumed dead for quite some time and now it’s back in play again. In fact it’s probably inevitable at this point, especially based on what was said at the Big 12 media days yesterday.
The Big 12 Conference announced that it authorized commissioner Bob Bowlsby to begin exploring candidates. The normal names started to appear as the shortlist looks like Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Memphis, Central Florida, South Florida, BYU and Colorado State as potential targets.
Since 2012 the Big 12 has been a 10-team conference with no conference championship game for football – the obvious biggest driving force of expansion and these talks. So now the question is whether the conference wants to expand to 12 or 14, with SI reporting it’s highly possible they accept four schools and near definite they expand to 12.
It seems as if the general consensus of who the Big 12 would take would be Cincinnati (a logical travel partner with WVU), BYU, Houston and then either Memphis or one of the Florida school. The question will be is if the Big 12 wants Memphis and their FedEx backing or the major TV market from one of the Florida schools – likely Central Florida.
What this means though is UConn will likely be the odd man out – and from a college basketball standpoint that’s a damn shame. UConn will be stuck in hell playing in the AAC, which will likely be nothing more than a midmajor conference at that point if they lose Cincinnati, Houston and Memphis.
With all the realignment no one has gotten screwed more than UConn. The one thing that can save them though is Andy Katz is reporting the Big East could be interested in taking UConn basketball if their football program finds a home. Obviously, UConn wants to end up in the Big 12 in every sport, so it’s hard to see this really coming into play. It’s hard to see the Big East taking UConn right now because why wouldn’t a conference take UConn basketball (its best program) with the football program? It’s either going to be Big 12 or bust for UConn.
Another thing to watch is how the current schools vote, there are rumblings that Texas and TCU could possibly vote against the inclusion of Houston so they don’t lose recruiting advantages there. However, the obvious is keeping another Texas school and a huge TV market.
I’d say the only near lock right now is Cincinnati, who has made its desire well-known to be in the Big 12. Along with that and the geographic location to WVU, it has a top-35 TV market, updated facilities and strong revenue programs.
Outside of that, let the bidding begin. Keep an eye on what happens to the AAC if UConn gets left out again.