Conference expansion is a hot topic in today’s college football climate.
The SEC made the first big move, announcing the additions of Texas and Oklahoma back in the summer of 2021. The move was originally planned to take place for the 2025 season but has been accelerated to next year.
A chain reaction took place after the Texas and Oklahoma dominos fell. The Big Ten Conference went west for the surprise acquisition of USC and UCLA. The Big 12 took in BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to stay afloat.
Conference realignment is expected to continue in the coming years with TV contracts and playoff format reshaping the sport. It is an arms race between the conferences. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark plans to be aggressive in the expansion process.
Here is a look at a few candidates the Big 12 should target to keep up among the power conferences in college football.