At the same gathering, the group suggested the time wasn’t right and may never be to pursue a conference television network.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Oklahoma president David Boren announced that conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby has been authorized to listen to schools interested in joining the Big 12, which now stands at 10 members.
Bailey is still not cleared medically to play again after getting shot twice in the head while sitting in a vehicle with family in November back home in Miami.
Here are the major players the UMass contingent will be keeping tabs on, as laid out by SI’s Pete Thamel in a column discussing the Big 12 expansion scenario on Tuesday: “The leaders in the clubhouse for Big 12 expansion remain BYU, Cincinnati and CT”.
It is believed the Big 12 would like to expand by July of 2017.
The announcement came as a surprise to many, as it seemed the conference was going to hold at ten members even after reinstating the football championship game beginning next season. The contracts are created to help ensure current league members will get additional money.
According to a report by ESPN, 10 coaches took part in the poll and they chose two schools. But it became apparent this week that coaches and league officials were unsure how to set up two five-team divisions.
NOT GOING ANYWHERE: Bob Stoops is going into his 18th season at Oklahoma and is barely the longest-tenured FBS coach after Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer retired. He said the conference was “psychologically disadvantaged” by having only 10 teams. “When I got in and first met with the team, I think they were somewhat skeptical of a lot of things”.
Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel.
The Big 12 put the college athletics world on tilt Tuesday by announcing it was actively evaluating two to four candidates for expansion. This is the moment that started the movement for Big 12 expansion to begin so that the conference could reinstate the championship game and boost its chances to place a team in the playoff among the rest of the Power 5 conferences, all of which have 12-14 member institutions.
“We want to play fast and furious on offense”.
Even different than six weeks ago.
If four teams are invited to the Big 12, the AAC or the MWC could end up losing one or two members each.
The expansion frenzy has returned.
(Wikimedia Commons/1989) Current logo of the Big 12 Conference.
Who will wind up jumping to the power five?
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. Memphis has corporate backing.
Both men emphasized that, as of now, the Big 12 hasn’t initiated any conversations with potential members. The news was surprising only when you consider the conference’s most recent talk on the subject.
Not a shock to see BYU at the top as their metrics and on the field success is top notch, among other metrics that the Big 12 wants for new members. It happens in other sports.
BYU: There may be no bigger program with a built-in national fan base the Big 12 could add. Plus, they have the football prowess and academics the Big 12 wants.
Advertisement
While no “nearly definite” or “highly possible” talk that should be thrown around when it comes to the now-independent University of MA football team’s own clouded conference affiliation situation, the growth of the Big 12 is a good thing for the Minutemen.
