According to a report from Sports Illustrated, the odds are “nearly definite” that the Big 12 will tack on at least two more members and “highly possible” that the number could end up being double that.
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The big news that came out of Big 12 Media Days was delivered in the eleventh hour after all the podiums and banners were being removed from the ballroom in the Omni Dallas and the media was hunkered around a speaker phone in the print and media room to hear what David Boren and Bob Bowlsby had to announce following a board of directors meeting. The eyes of the college sports world were all on the Big 12 and it was the ideal opportunity.
This time, the 10 current Big 12 schools could receive even more money than anticipated if the schools wanting to join the conference are willing to take a smaller share of revenue just to have the long-term security of being in a Power 5 league. The feeling here is that the four new teams would be quickly and similarly assimilated. “But we intend to be active very soon”, Bowlsby said. Army could join Navy as a football-only member of the league.
The league hailed its round-robin schedule as the way to produce “One True Champion”, but the slogan looked silly when the Big 12 finished the 2014 season with co-champions.
The league’s change of heart shouldn’t come as a surprise.
“We are evaluating what expansion of the league might contribute to the overall process and the financial process of the league”, Boren said during a conference call with the media. “We’ll be looking for other advantages to see how it works”. “So I don’t think we have to make apologies for activating around stipulations that we both agreed to”.
The Big 12 has other issues.
“If we are to expand, we want to find the strongest possible partners”, Boren said. The Big 12 long has been stationary.
How candidates stack up: Since Boren also included strength of program, fan base and academic categories, we’re not exactly sure what this means.
There are now 63 FBS schools outside of the Power 5 conferences.
Whatever the Baylor contingent told the Big 12 on Tuesday seemed to satisfy it. All the Big 12 needs is one of its teams to win the national championship. The biggest question going forward will be whether the Big 12 adds two schools or four schools.
Presidents from the conference’s other nine colleges started getting briefed at 10a.m.by Dr. David Garland, Baylor’s Interim President, Ron Murff, Chairman of the Board of Regents, and David Harper, a Regent Committee Chair. It’s a nice position to be in.
Big 12 leaders have acknowledged that none of the available schools is a natural fit.
“I told our team, it’s about us pulling them in, joining together and don’t ever make them feel like they don’t belong”, Strong said, “because they do belong and they’re going to be a part of the success here”.
Possibilities for Big 12 expansion potentially could include Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, Memphis, Central Florida, South Florida, Connecticut, Boise State, Colorado State and Tulane. “BYU is known for its academic excellence and I believe we have an exceptional athletic program”.
Also Wednesday, Grobe clarified comments he made Tuesday, when he said there was not a “culture of bad behavior” at the school, and said he remains sensitive to the victims.
What is the Big 12 looking for?
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“I felt like the best thing we could do for (the players)”, Grobe countered, “is to try to keep consistency in the coaches, have the same coach in the meeting room, have the same terminology, and try to, you know, put our arms around the players and take care of them”.
