Big 12 to contact expansion candidates
It sounds more and more like expansion in the Big 12 isn't a matter of if, but when.
The Big 12 announced Tuesday that commissioner Bob Bowlsby has been tasked with re-contacting schools that had expressed an interest in joining the conference. Houston, Memphis, UCF, and Cincinnati have all been pegged as potential additions.
There was no timetable given, but the Big 12 did note that a likely TV deal for the ACC played a part in the interest in expanding. It also appears that all schools in the conference are on the same page.
Bowlsby: "We did take a vote, and everyone was supportive of it."
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) July 19, 2016
The addition of two schools would seem to make the most sense, as that would bring the conference back up to 12 teams and they could split them up into two divisions of six.
Houston appears to be an obvious fit given its geographical location and the fact that the Cougars are coming off a 13-1 season that culminated in a Peach Bowl win over Florida State. There would also be a natural rivalry for Houston with teams like Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, and TCU.
Should expansion become a reality, it would be the second significant announcement for the conference this year. The Big 12 announced last month that they were bringing back a championship game starting in 2017.