The college sports landscape has experienced a whirlwind of events in recent months, with the future of NCAA athletics constantly evolving.
The Big 12 conference was left in a state of uncertainty after witnessing Texas and Oklahoma abandon it for the more promising opportunities offered by the SEC.
In more recent times, the Big Ten, Pac-12, and ACC have joined forces to establish their own alliance.
The movement within WVU athletics has left both WVU and the rest of the Big 12 with limited options.
The conference made an announcement on Friday, revealing that it has approved the inclusion of four new schools for future expansion. The existing eight colleges reached a unanimous decision to welcome BYU, Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati into their ranks.
Undoubtedly, a significant portion of this movement revolves exclusively around football, as it is the sport that generates the highest revenue for schools, surpassing all others by a considerable margin.
After the SEC acquired two of the Big 12’s most influential programs, it became evident that the conference would undergo a transformation. As all the Power 5 Conferences had already formed alliances, the remaining schools were left with no alternative but to introduce fresh entities.
Big 12 Conference Agrees To Expand
Although WVU athletics may not have the same level of brand recognition or notoriety as Texas and OU, its sports program undeniably achieves great success.
Regrettably, this time the school is positioned unfavorably in terms of conference alignment.
Prior to 2012, WVU was a member of the Big East Conference. However, in that year, WVU joined the Big 12 Conference as teams were departing the seemingly disintegrating Big East.
Now, WVU is at a disadvantage in this deal, as it will not be included among the top divisions in the future. It will be fascinating to observe the effects of this new framework on sports such as football and basketball.
The way West Virginia sportsbooks provide preseason odds will undoubtedly be altered.
On the bright side, the addition of new colleges that have recently achieved success is a promising development. It appears that, thankfully, no other schools have plans to depart, allowing the Big 12 conference to initiate a positive rebuilding process.
About The Additions
All four names are easily recognizable, particularly if you are observant of the two most popular sports.
During the 1980s, BYU emerged as a dominant force on a national level, witnessing the exceptional performances of quarterbacks such as Steve Young and Ty Detmer, who later achieved great success in the NFL.
The Jets recently added another quarterback to their lineup by selecting QB Zach Wilson with a top pick in the spring.
Under the guidance of head coach Luke Fickell, the Bearcats of Cincinnati have experienced an unprecedented level of strength in their football program in recent years. Notably, they have successfully qualified for a bowl in each of the past three seasons.
Cincinnati emerged as the victors of the American Athletic Conference in 2020 and came incredibly close to defeating Georgia in the Peach Bowl.
After a significant win during the opening week, the school has secured the No. 7 ranking this season.
Despite not maintaining the same level of strength recently, Houston football has still managed to achieve commendable outcomes. Under the guidance of Tom Herman, the Cougars recorded an impressive 22-4 record in a span of two seasons until 2016.
Over the past few years, their winning percentage has improved, bringing them closer to achieving a balanced win-loss record. Presently, the team is under the guidance of former Mountaineer, Dana Holgorsen.
In addition, UCF has achieved numerous victories throughout the previous few college football seasons.
The school has become a revolving door for aspiring coaches, as both Scott Frost and Josh Heupel achieved a remarkable winning percentage of over 73% in Orlando before advancing to better opportunities.
UCF had an exceptional year in 2017, finishing with an undefeated 13-0 record and earning the national title by defeating Auburn in their bowl game.
Although these programs may not be identical to those found in the SEC, they all possess highly credible athletic programs that showcase promising football prospects.
Big 12 Growth
In 2025, BYU announced its intentions to join the conference, while the rest of the teams are set to become Big 12 members in 2025.
Bob Bowlsby, the commissioner of the Big 12 conference, expressed his optimism regarding the current direction of his conference. In a statement to ESPN, Bowlsby shared his positive outlook.
In my opinion, these football programs are of exceptional quality and would greatly enhance the Big 12. With a range of formidable opponents in our conference, we have a chance to showcase our abilities on a national scale.
Losing teams like Texas and Oklahoma poses a challenge for the conference’s aspirations to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Sooners have already made it to the four-team postseason on four occasions.
It is hopeful that the Big 12 can replicate its success by incorporating the remaining teams and the four incoming ones.
The conference might still have plans to expand further, as there are schools like Memphis who have expressed their disappointment for not being selected to join.
Bowlsby continued:
“We will remain receptive to new opportunities that arise in our dynamic athletic environment. While we currently have 14 members, we anticipate fluctuating between 14 and 12. Should circumstances require a change in our composition or if advantageous opportunities arise, we will be ready to adapt accordingly.”
Despite the rapid pace of changes, it seems that the Big 12 is adapting to the present circumstances and is expected to thrive in the future.