Jul 5, 2022
Big 12 Expansion: Survival and Relevancy
The Big Ten and the SEC are positioning themselves to be the two Power Mega-Conferences left standing in the coming years. Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC by 2025.
Recently, USC and UCLA decided to leave the PAC-12 and move to the Big Ten for the 2024 season.
The PAC-12 has been described in the media as a “sinking ship.” The ACC may not even survive the seismic shift occurring right now in college football. Who knows what will happen to the Group of Five Conferences?
But if a third conference is to survive and be relevant, and keep pace with the Big Ten and SEC, it might just be the Big 12. They have already added Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, and UCF to bring their roster of teams back to a true 12. They will begin play in 2023.
That’s a good start.
And by relevant, of course I mean conference championships, bowl games, Top 25 rankings, and most importantly college football playoff (CFP) appearances.
But how do they continue to grow stronger? For starters, you can pick up some “survivors from the sinking ship”. I know it’s all about TV contracts and media dollars, etc. It certainly has nothing to do with geography.
But you also have to consistently put a good product on the field.
Reports have surfaced that the Big 12 will reach out to Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah on Tuesday to gauge their interest in joining. Forget about the first three in that list.
The Four Teams to Consider
Utah Utes
Yes, for sure call Utah. Under head coach Kyle Whittingham, the Utes are 40–20 over the last 5 years and 144–70 during his tenure. Utah has appeared in a bowl game in 14 of the last 17 seasons.
They appeared in the Rose Bowl this past January as the PAC 12 champions, losing a hard-fought, epic battle with Ohio State 48–45.
And Salt Lake City is the 30th ranked media market in the U.S.
SMU Mustangs
Located in Dallas, Texas, the 5th ranked media market in the U.S., SMU is 37–23 over the last 5 years.
Oregon Ducks
This is a no-brainer. Oregon is a huge brand nationally, and the Nike money doesn’t hurt one bit. They have a 42–19 record over the last five years.
They would also be a nice addition to Big 12 basketball as well, having won two of the last three PAC-12 championships.
They also have made three Regional Semifinals, one Regional Final, and one Final Four appearance, all under head coach Dana Altman.
Boise State Broncos
One of the most consistent Group of Five teams, the Broncos have posted 45–15 record over the last five years. Their addition would keep alive a rivalry with BYU that has lasted a decade.
The Big 12 needs to reach out to these schools immediately and gauge their interest, before the Big Ten or SEC steals them away.
Thanks for reading.
Material for this article was sourced from cfbstats.com, and sports-reference.com.
