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The Big XII made headlines in realignment this week when it was reported that Colorado plans to join the league in 2024. The conference isn’t done adding members according to one notable college football writer.
Brett McMurphy says the league plans to expand to 14 or even 16 teams as it looks to keep pace with the SEC and Big Ten.
Not so long ago, things looked bleak for the Big XII. Over the last 15 years, they’ve dealt with the losses of Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and Texas A&M. The Cornhuskers and Buffaloes moved on from the conference in 2011 while the Tigers and Aggies opted to cut ties the following season.
The league will take another hit next year when Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC.
Somehow, they’ve been able to go from life support to thriving in a matter of moments.
After adding UCF, Houston, Cincinnati, and BYU, it seems the Colorado Buffaloes will return the Big XII next year.
The move from the PAC 12 comes amid a myriad of issues for the Conference of Champions.
Not only will they soon lose top brands in USC and UCLA, but they’ve also failed to secure a media rights deal with the loss of the Los Angeles market.
With Colorado intending to join the Big XII in 2024, the conference will consist of 13 teams, but Brett McMurphy says it won’t stop there in its realignment efforts.
It was reported last night by @Brett_McMurphy that Colorado is heading back to the Big 12 with an announcement coming today.
What’s next for the Big 12? What’s next for the Pac-12?
Brett answered to @DustyDvoracek & @dannykanell on #DDSXM. pic.twitter.com/BM7YTy2g1e
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) July 27, 2023
“I am fairly confident that the Big 12 will have at least 14 teams, possibly 16,” McMurphy said in an appearance on XM Radio.
To get to 14 teams, the league would just need to add one more squad. The notion that it could add three more teams by 2024 is an interesting one.
Many have been quick to guess at who the conference is targeting. Most point to more PAC 12 attrition, looking at ‘four corners’ schools Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State.
Should that happen, it could signal the end for the West Coast league.
Other programs mentioned in connection with the Big XII are UCONN and Gonzaga, though the Zags wouldn’t help towards football numbers.
The speculation continues what’s been a wild couple of years in conference expansion.
The Big XII is making moves in realignment. We’ll see if another domino falls in the near future.