Tag: Big 12 expansion

Brett Yormark confirms the Big 12 isn’t looking to expand further

“Right now, we’re done” – Brett Yormark on more Big 12 expansion

The Big 12 recently added four more schools to the conference for the 2024 calendar year with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah all coming over from the Pac-12. This comes off the heels of Oregon and Washington joining Southern California and UCLA in the Big Ten beginning in 2024.

Over the offseason, the Big 12 and commissioner Brett Yormark held preliminary discussions with Gonzaga and Connecticut. This was likely the backup plan in case they were unable to add in the four corner schools of the Pac-12.

In a media session with reporters on Zoom, Yormark confirmed that the Big 12 isn’t looking to expand any further at this time. Which seems to squash any idea that they could add the remaining four schools of the Pac-12 to the conference in time for the 2024 football season. California, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State’s future is left up in the air as of now.

“We had a vision, we had a strategy and effectively we’ve been able to execute it. Initially, I wasn’t sure if we’d go to 14 or 16. I think 16 was kind of the dream scenario candidly. From our perspective, our focus right now is to integrate the four incoming schools as quick as we can — get them comfortable. We’ve already had a couple of transition calls and Zooms with the corner schools, and I’ll be making some campus visits. That’s my focus right now.”

This was the same sort of message that the Big Ten made in terms of helping the transition of USC and UCLA before they added Oregon and Washington. However, when you look at the remaining schools, it is tough to see what value the four remaining schools of the Pac-12 have. Stanford might be the most attractive due to their athletic program.

The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are going into their final season with the Big 12, while the BYU Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats, Houston Cougars, and UCF Knight all join. It should make for an interesting year of Big 12 athletics.

We will continue to monitor the situation to see how true Yormark’s words are but at this point with the 2023 season upon us, the expansion across the landscape should be concluded for this cycle.

Big 12 adds three more schools to the conference

Big 12 officially moves to 16 teams with three more additions.

Following the announcement of the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies were heading to the Big Ten, the Big 12 made their move.

One of the worst-kept secrets over the last several months involved the Big 12 coveting the four corner schools. Once Colorado, Oregon, and Washington announced their new destinations, it was a matter of time before we saw the remaining corner schools follow suit.

On Friday evening, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yorkmark released a statement welcoming the three newest schools to the conference. They will begin play in the conference in 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome Arizona, Arizona State and Utah to the Big 12,” said Commissioner Brett Yormark. “The Conference is gaining three premier institutions both academically and athletically, and the entire Big 12 looks forward to working alongside their presidents, athletic directors, student-athletes and administrators.”

With the latest moves in conference realignment, the Big 12 joins the Big Ten and SEC as the only conferences with 16 teams. The ACC currently sits at 14 teams, while the Pac-12 is now the Pac-4. California, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State are the only remaining members.

New Look Big 12 for the 2024-25 seasons:

Arizona Kansas
Arizona State Kansas State
Baylor Oklahoma State
BYU TCU
Cincinnati Texas Tech
Colorado UCF
Houston Utah
Iowa State West Virginia

Bold teams were original members, we included Colorado who joined the Big 12 as an original member before leaving for the Pac-12 in 2011.

Connecticut and Gonzaga were two schools rumored to be in consideration to join the conference. If they were to be added for basketball only, that would make the Big 12 the most elite basketball conference in the nation.

Those discussions will likely come down the road, for now, it appears this round of realignment can finally be put to rest. We hope that is the case.

Breaking down Big 12 expansion candidates by tiers

What should the Big 12 wish list look like if broken down into tiers?

The first domino in conference realignment since UCLA and USC announced their move to the Pac-12 has fallen. The Colorado Buffaloes opted to return to the Big 12 for the 2024-25 calendar year.

The conference now sits with 13 teams after the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns leave for the SEC. In a two-year span, the Big 12 has added BYU, Colorado, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. Not a bad start for new commissioner Brett Yormark.

One school that could be in the mix eventually is Gonzaga, the only problem is that they don’t have a football program. While they add to basketball, our focus is on the schools who add to both football and potentially basketball in the new-look Big 12.

We break down eight candidates into four tiers with Tier I being at the top.

Five things the Big 12 needs to thrive without Texas and Oklahoma

We look at what the Big 12 needs to stay afloat without its two blue blood programs.

In case you missed it, the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns will not be in the Big 12 conference after this season. The two teams are bound for the SEC.

The Longhorns and Sooners have brought relevance to the Big 12 through ratings and talent acquisition. Upon their departure, other members of the conference will have to pick up the slack.

The Big 12 is set to lose several viewers without its weekly Texas and Oklahoma games. Both teams bring eyes to TVs that other league members don’t command.

Proponents of the remaining members would point to TCU’s playoff victory as proof the Big 12 gets it done on the field without elite recruiting. Unfortunately, unless the conference has another strong showing, it may not be afforded the opportunity the playoff committee gave the Horned Frogs.

Let’s look at five things the Big 12 needs to accomplish to thrive without Oklahoma and Texas.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is open to more expansion

The Big 12 has sent signals that San Diego State isn’t part of its plans. Is that a smokescreen?

At Big 12 media day, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark addressed a lot of topics. Each conference media day gathering, in this complicated and fluid world of college sports realignment, is full of news about television deals, changing conference memberships, and what the future holds for that particular conference. Commissioners need to inform their schools and their constituencies that they are improving the bottom line and the product, satisfying athletic departments and fan bases alike.

Yormark, who is reveling in the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston, said at Big 12 media day that he is still open to more expansion. That door has not been closed.

The obvious follow-up question: In which direction might the Big 12 consider expansion? Dennis Dodd, who has well-placed sources in the Big 12 and regularly picks up (and floats) the leaks which come from people sympathetic to the Big 12, has reported that San Diego State is not part of the Big 12’s expansion plans. Is this a smokescreen or a real inclination on the part of the Big 12?

If it’s a real inclination, the discussion surrounding the Big 12 might shift to Connecticut (interestingly enough, San Diego State’s opponent in the most recent college basketball national championship game). Memphis and SMU are also intriguing potential options for the Big 12. Keep in mind that Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has visited the SMU campus and talked to university administrators.

All of this reinforces the point that the Pac-12 leaves the door open to more negative scenarios as long as its media rights deal remains unfinalized. In this vacuum, the potential remains for the Big 12 to swoop in and pluck SMU from the Pac-12, something which could undermine a possible Pac-12 media rights deal.

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Brett Yormark hints at further Big 12 expansion

The Big 12 is planning to remain at 14 teams even after the departure of Texas and Oklahoma.

With Texas and Oklahoma set to leave for the SEC after the 2023 season, the Big 12 has already made moves to ensure the conference will return to not only 10 teams, but 12.

The conference added BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. All are making their Big 12 debuts this season, which puts the conference at 14 members for 2023.

However, on top of firing some unsupported shots at Texas and Oklahoma at Big 12 media days, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark addressed the expansion plans of the conference. He expressed his desire to remain at 14 teams.

The Big 12 has reportedly been in contact with UConn, Colorado and Arizona among others.

Outside of Colorado, who is most likely to join the Big 12 in expansion?

Things could get interesting relatively quickly.

The Big 12 has been one of the more active conferences among the Power Five this spring and the beginning of summer.

Commissioner Brett Yormark has announced a partnership with the historic Rucker Park, as well as announced a new initiative that will bring exhibitions and bowl games to Mexico. At this point, if there is a conference you could bet on to make the next move in conference realignment the Big 12 might be the safest bet.

The current feeling around the collegiate landscape is that it will be when, not if, the conference expands beyond 12. The Big 12 currently has 14 schools in the fold but Oklahoma and Texas are set to join the SEC for the 2024 calendar year.

According to a report from Pete Thamel and ESPN (article requires subscription), there is one team out east that could be a strong favorite to join the Big 12.

Sources say the Big 12 has held an in-person visit with school officials at Colorado at a neutral site. And they’ve also had an on-campus visit to Connecticut. That UConn meeting has some predicting that if Colorado does jump to the Big 12, UConn is a top choice if none of the other Four Corner schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Utah — join the Buffaloes.

The potential addition of the UConn Huskies is an interesting possibility and not exactly one that is coming out of left field. The Big 12 has been exploring adding both UConn and Gonzaga, both known for their basketball prowess. This would also get the Big 12 into a new market. The conference has won two of the last three NCAA men’s basketball championships and adding the defending champions would only increase their profile as a premier basketball conference.

Adding Colorado has been the main target it seems since the reports surfaced that the conference was targeting the Pac-12’s four corner schools. The Buffaloes left the Big 12 for the Pac-10 prior to the start of the 2012 football season. They joined Utah as the new members that made up the Pac-12. Since hiring Deion Sanders as the head coach of the football program, the Buffs have become a more enticing target.

Deion in the Big 12 would be interesting to say the very least.

Get more Colorado news, analysis, and opinions on Buffs Wire

Report: Big 12 eyeing UConn for potential expansion

It appears the Big 12 is still on the lookout for new members.

The Big 12 Conference has been aggressive in adding members after the news of Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC.

New commissioner Brett Yormark wasted no time in bringing in BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the league ahead of the 2023 season. It appears the Big 12 is still on the lookout for new members.

The Athletic reports the Big 12 has an interest in UConn as a potential addition.

UConn would provide the Big 12 with a more prominent footprint on the east coast. The Huskies are a powerhouse in both men’s and women’s basketball, which could help submit the Big 12 as the top basketball league in the nation.

The main question relies on if UConn is a strong enough football program for the Big 12 to pull the trigger. UConn has struggled on the football filed over the past decade and would weaken the overall depth of the conference.

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Brett Yormark, Big 12 are ‘focused’ on more expansion

Don’t expect the Big 12 to sit back and wait on more college expansion and realignment. Brett Yormark is “focused” on adding to the conference.

One of the more active conferences when it comes to realignment and expansion as of late has been the Big 12. Commissioner Brett Yormark hasn’t shied away from it.

The newest commissioner wasted no time when he brought Cincinnati, Central Florida, Houston, and BYU into the fold. All four teams are set to join for the 2023 college football season. For one season there will be 14 teams in the conference and then back down to 12 in 2024 as the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns leave for the SEC.

But don’t expect Yormark to stop there.

“The third priority for me has been to explore expansion for all the right reasons,” Yormark stated.

“As I’ve said before, it’s gotta be additive. It’s gotta be accretive. But we are focused on it. We’re exploring every and all possibilities. I say that while also saying that I love the composition and the makeup of this conference going forward.”

“I love the four new schools that are coming in July (and) the continuing eight. I think we’re in a great place. But if there’s a chance to get better, it’s incumbent on me as the commissioner to explore those possibilities. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah have been the main targets for more expansion in the Big 12. With the Pac-12 losing UCLA and USC to the Big Ten, they have been the target for the Big 12. Not to mention they have yet to sign a new TV deal.

If the Pac-12 doesn’t get a new deal in place and add potential schools to the conference, expect other conferences to look at some of the big names out west including Oregon and Washington.

It could be open season for the Pac-12 and the Big 12 is looking to go big game hunting.

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