Report: BYU, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston Current Targets for Big 12 Expansion

The Big 12 is not giving up after the departure of Texas and Oklahoma.

The conference has reportedly zeroed in on BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston as potential targets for expansion, per Max Olson of The Athletic.

Adding all four schools would get the Big 12 back to 12 teams for the first time since the 2011 season. Texas and Oklahoma are set to depart for the SEC in 2025, if not sooner, depending on whether the two powerhouses can negotiate an early exit.

While some expected their departure to be a death knell to the Big 12, the decision of the Pac-12 to not expand gave some life to the floundering Power Five conference.

"The eight ADs remain committed to furthering the Big 12 as one of the nation's premier athletic conferences, and look forward to working with our presidents and chancellors to strengthen the league," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. "Future exploration by the group will continue to center on options that best position the long-term strength of the Conference."

UCF, Cincinnati and Houston are currently members of the American Athletic Conference. BYU is an independent. The aforementioned AAC schools were founding members of the conference, which began play in 2013 amid massive realignment that took place in 2011 and 2012.

AAC commissioner Mike Aresco told reporters Wednesday that he is "concerned" over what potential realignment could do to the conference.