What the Big 12 could look like if it expanded to 20 teams
The Big 12 is well on its way to becoming the next super conference in college football.
The conference is still hotly pursuing four teams out West in Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah. Arizona State and Colorado have a relatively strong history in football, while Arizona and Utah have had their fair share of success in the past.
As currently constructed, the Big 12 footprint has a void on the East Coast. With no teams between West Virginia and UCF and nationalization of other conferences, there is a clear opportunity for the Big 12 to expand eastward.
While it’s no secret the conference could not match the other two super conferences in football, the Big 12 could secure its future by becoming the top basketball conference.
"Four Pac 12 schools have reportedly met with the Big 12 regarding admission to the conference"
Oregon & Washington were notably absent from these conversations. Given what we know, this is what a 16 team Big 12 will look like after Texas & Oklahoma depart. pic.twitter.com/Q5Z0dJJGS4
— Sidelines Sports Network™ (@Sidelines_SN) July 4, 2022
Here is a look at a third potential 20-team conference.
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Big 12 East
Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Blue Devils
North Carolina Tar Heels
Pittsburgh Panthers
UCF Golden Knights
West Virginia Mountaineers
Duke and North Carolina seem like obvious choices for a conference that already has Kansas, Arizona, Baylor, Houston, and Texas Tech. All five programs have dominated college basketball in recent memory. Adding the top rivalry in college basketball only strengthens the conference’s basketball reputation. Pittsburgh would give West Virginia a strong rival and give the conference a five-team East Division.
Big 12 North
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Bearcats
Iowa State Cyclones
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas State Wildcats
Oklahoma State Cowboys
With Cincinnati already set to join the conference, they make for a natural addition to a few of the original members of the Big 12 conference. The rest of the group dates back to the Big Eight conference.
Big 12 South
AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Baylor Bears
BYU Cougars
Houston Cougars
TCU Horned Frogs
Texas Tech Red Raiders
BYU and Utah cannot seem to get along. For that reason, the Cougars are moved to a division of Texas teams. By playing so frequently in Texas, the private school could increase its influence in recruiting within the state. The other four schools give more in-state recruits reasons to stay home.
Big 12 West
Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona State Sun Devils
California Golden Bears
Colorado Buffaloes
Utah Utes
I recently excluded The University of California at Berkley from my expanded Big Ten Conference prediction. However, their strong athletics history make them a strong expansion candidate in college sports. They round out the remnant of the Pac-12 departing for the newly formed conference.
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