The Big 12 may be expanding.
According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg the Big 12 held a meeting today and signaled that expanding the conference is likely.
Big 12 meetings over. My takeaway: Expansion likely, decision unlikely at late May meetings, but everyone understands status quo untenable.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) May 4, 2016
Rittenberg wrote that Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is looking at multiple scenarios for possible expansion, including a possible 16-team conference.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby on models presented to ADs/coaches today: “They looked at 14-team scenarios, they looked at a few 16-team scenarios. They looked at 12 teams, they looked at 10 teams, they looked at with a playoff, without a playoff. They looked at an 8-game schedule with a strong opponent, an 8-game schedule with a medium opponent. You name a scenario, they’ve looked at it.”
According to Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News, Bowlsby wants to move quickly with the possible expansion.
Bob Bowlsby on his advice to Big 12 members: “If they ask me, ‘Should we let this linger on another six months,’ I’ll say definitely no.”
— Chuck Carlton (@ChuckCarltonDMN) May 4, 2016
Not every team in the conference is a fan of the expansion, as the Cincinnati Enquirer reports the Texas Longhorns have reportedly been trying to convince TCU and Texas Tech to vote against it, which would stop the vote of reaching the 75-percent approval needed. Why? It’s all about the money. Texas apparently doesn’t want to have the Longhorn Network converted into the Big 12 Network. The report says it’s believed TCU would follow Texas and vote against expansion since they helped get them back into the Big 12 in 2012.
Expansion may be on the horizon, but Texas is going to fight it until it’s actual certainty. Getting the votes needed to block it will be an uphill battle.