BYU AD 'excited' by prospect of Big 12 expansion

The Big 12 will continue exploring expansion to its current 10-team league, the conference announced Tuesday, and BYU was quick to make it clear Wednesday that the school is interested.

"We are obviously excited the leadership of the Big 12 has advised commissioner Bob Bowlsby to review potential expansion candidates," Cougars athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. "BYU is known for its academic excellence and I believe we have an exceptional athletic program. As I've stated before, I would like to see our student-athletes compete at the highest level."

BYU certainly seems like a solid fit in the two major revenue sports of men's basketball and football. The football program currently plays as an independent and has won at least eight games in nine of the last 10 seasons. On the basketball court, the school's been a member of the West Coast Conference since 2011, and captured 23 wins or more in each of those five years.

The Utah-based school enjoys a massive fan base and top-notch facilities, but also comes with a religious mission that could hamper scheduling. The Cougars don't participate in any games on Sundays, which could be a negative as the Big 12 looks to expand.