When Oklahoma and Texas decided to leave the Big 12 Conference and join the Southeastern Conference, it had a ripple effect that impacted at multiple college athletic conferences.
And the shakeup could be even more dramatic as USC and UCLA have been approved and will switch to the Big 10 Conference in 2024. The vote by Big Ten schools was unanimous.
Apparently, the negotiations for a buyout from the Pac-12 has been underway secretly for weeks. The Pac-12 television contract expires after the 2023 football season. Fox is negotiating a new TV contract with Big Ten now.
USC athletic director Mike Bohn said the Big Ten is”the best home for USC and Trojan athletics as we move into the new world of collegiate sports.” The Pac-12 released a statement saying it was “extremely surprised and disappointed” by the news of UCLA and USC leaving.
Oklahoma and Texas are the anchors of The Big 12 Conference and their departure could be devastating to income, prestige and championships in football. That won’t be as impactful in men’s basketball (Kansas and Baylor have won the national championship in the past two years) and other sports like men’s baseball, women’s softball, gymnastics and others.
The Big 12 reacted to the impending loss of OU and Texas by stealing Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston from the American Athletic Conference plus adding Brigham Young, an independent. And there is a possibility that the Big 12 could add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah from the Pac-12 due to the departure of USC and UCLA.
UCF, Cincinnati and Houston have negotiated their exit payout (reported to be $18 million) to the AAC and will join the Big 12 in 2023. So will BYU. And since OU and Texas may not leave until the 2025 football season, the Big 12 will have 14 teams for one or two school years.
No decision has been announced on how the new Big 12 will divide into divisions. BYU Athletics Director Tom Holmoe said that the Big 12 will split into two football divisions as the conference returns to 12 teams.
Lawrence Schovanec, chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors, and President of Texas Tech University, said, “With the addition of these four tradition-rich institutions we have set the Big 12 on a continued path of success. We look forward to having BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston under the Big 12 banner, both athletically and academically.”
The additions jump the Big 12 footprint from five states and 40.2 million people, to eight states with over 76.5 million total inhabitants.
This is only the second time in the 26 years of Big 12 history that the conference has added teams and both times, the departures were not universally applauded.
Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech have been members since 1996. TCU and West Virginia joined in 2011 after Colorado exited for the Pac-12, Nebraska bolted for the Big Ten and Missouri and Texas A&M joined the SEC.
Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012 and so did Missouri. Both were placed in the Western Division for football. It is unclear what the division alignments will be for OU and Texas.
“Today’s vote solidifies the long-term trajectory of the Big 12 Conference,” said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, who is retiring.
Founded in 1875, Brigham Young University is in Provo, Utah. The campus is home to 33,181 undergraduate students, with degrees in 186 majors. The Cougars compete in 21 sports. They have won 12 NCAA titles all-time, won 296 conference championships; and have been home to 1,385 All-Americans, one Heisman Trophy winner, and 75 Olympians.
Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. Its women’s sports are basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, softball, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Cougars participate in every sport sponsored by the Big 12 except equestrian, rowing, and wrestling. The Big 12 sponsors every sport the Cougars compete in except men’s volleyball.
Based in Orlando, Florida, UCF was founded in 1963. It has about 70,000 students, 13 colleges and 230 degree programs, In the 16 varsity sports UCF sponsors, Knights teams have won a total of 148 conference championships. In 2017, the UCF football team had an undefeated season had a Peach Bowl win over Auburn. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer and tennis. Its women’s sports are basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The Knights participate in every sport sponsored by the Big 12 except equestrian, gymnastics, swimming & diving and wrestling. The Big 12 sponsors every sport the Knights compete in except men’s soccer.
Cincinnati is a public research university with an enrollment of 46,798. Founded in 1819, UC offers 414 degree programs. Bearcat teams have combined to win 116 conference championships. The men’s basketball program has accounted for 41 conference titles and two national championships.
This past season, the UC football team took a perfect record and a No. 8 CFP ranking into the Peach Bowl with Georgia.
Cincinnati sponsors 18 varsity sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and swimming & diving. Its women’s sports are basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track & field, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Bearcats participate in every sport sponsored by the Big 12 except equestrian, gymnastics, men’s tennis, rowing, softball, and wrestling. The Big 12 sponsors every sport the Bearcats compete in except women’s lacrosse.
Established in 1927, Houston has over 47,000 students enrolled in its 408 undergraduate, masters and PhD programs.
It has 158 conference titles, 17 NCAA team champions, 1,059 All-Americans, 63 Olympians and one Heisman Trophy winner.
Last season, the men’s basketball team went to the Final Four.
Houston has 17 varsity sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. Its women’s sports are basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Cougars participate in every sport sponsored by the Big 12 except equestrian, gymnastics, men’s tennis, rowing and wrestling. The Big 12 sponsors every sport in which the Cougars compete.
American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco said The American finalized entrance agreements with its six incoming schools as of July 1, 2023.
Instead of a Power Five setup in football, Aresco wants a Power Six configuration with AAC in the mix with the ACC, the Big Ten, The Big 12, the SEC and the Pac-12.
Aresco said, “Our incoming schools comprise a distinguished group with attributes that will enhance our conference’s Power 6 goals.”
The American will be in four of the top 10, seven of the top 25 and 12 of the top 51 Nielsen media markets. The league will have four teams in the state of Texas, two each in Florida and North Carolina and one each in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma and Kansas.
After expansion to 12 programs in 1992, the SEC went to an 8-game conference schedule, with each team playing the five other teams in their division and three opponents from the other division. The winners of the two divisions would then meet in the SEC Championship. Under the current format, each school plays eight conference games, consisting of the other six teams in its division, one school from the other division on a rotating basis, and one school from the other division that it plays each year. The permanent cross-division matchups are: Alabama/Tennessee; Arkansas/Missouri; Auburn/Georgia; LSU/Florida; Mississippi State/Kentucky; Mississippi/Vanderbilt and Texas A&M/So. Carolina. It is presumed that OU and Texas will wind up in the same SEC division.
Texas president Jay Hartzell and Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. issued a letter, stating, “We believe that there would be mutual benefit to the Universities on the one hand, and the SEC on the other hand, for the Universities to become members of the SEC.”
On July 29, 2021, the presidents of the 14 schools of the SEC voted unanimously to extend an offer of admission to Oklahoma and Texas. The boards of regents for both institutions on July 30, 2021, accepted conference membership.
OU doesn’t do swimming and diving. OU’s wrestling hasn’t been determined. Texas doesn’t do women’s gymnastics.
Conference USA was perhaps the biggest loser in the membership switches. C-USA lost six schools to the American Athletic Conference.
Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston and Jacksonville State will join C-USA in 2023.
New Mexico State and Sam Houston State are currently in the Western Athletic Conference. Jacksonville State and Liberty are currently in the Atlantic Sun Conference, which is added Austin Peay State (now in the Ohio Valley Conference) and Queens University (in the South Atlantic Conference) of Charlotte, North Carolina.
New Conference Alignments
Southeastern Conference
Current members
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mizzou, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Texas A&M
Exiting members
None
New Members
Oklahoma and Texas (2025?)
Pac-12 Conference
Current members
Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Washington State
Exiting members
USC and UCLA
New Members
?
Big 12 Conference
Current members
Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Exiting members
Oklahoma and Texas (2025?)
New Members
Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, BYU (2023)
Big Ten Conference
Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Exiting members
None
New Members
USC and UCLA
American Athletic Conference
Current members
UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, USF, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, Wichita State
Exiting members
Houston, UCF, Cincinnati
New Members
Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA
Conference USA
Current members
UAB; Fla. Atlantic; Fla. International; Louisiana Tech; Marshall; Middle Tennessee; UNCC; North Texas; Old Dominion; Rice; So. Mississippi; UTEP; UTSA, Western Ky.
Exiting members
Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA
New Members
Jacksonville State; Liberty; New Mexico State; Sam Houston State
Atlantic Sun Conference
Current members
Bellarmine University; Central Arkansas; Eastern Kentucky; Florida Gulf Coast; Jacksonville, Jacksonville State; Kennesaw State; Liberty; Libscomb; North Alabama, North Florida; and Stetson
Exiting members
Jacksonville and Liberty
New members
Austin Peay, Queens University of Charlotte