Report: Colorado Bringing Arizona, ASU, Utah Would Be 'Ideal Scenario' for Big 12

More than a decade after Colorado's departure for the Pac-12 and Texas A&M's exit for the SEC left the Big 12 scrambling to save the league, the Big 12 is looking to put the finishing touches on what may be the demise of the Pac-12.

Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated reported the Big 12 is set to accept Colorado back into the fold as a new member, and the conference hopes Arizona, Utah and Arizona State soon follow.

"If Colorado brings the four corners (fellow Pac-12 members Utah, Arizona and Arizona State), that's the ideal scenario," a source told Forde. "I don't think that's going to happen. Our schools love the four corners, going from 12 to 16. Can Colorado bring in Arizona or Utah? Arizona more likely than Utah."

Colorado is expected to request acceptance into the Big 12 after a board meeting Thursday. The Big 12 has already voted to accept the school back into the conference where it played from 1996-2011.

Colorado represents a vital acquisition for the Big 12, as it's the first addition from a Power Five conference since Texas and Oklahoma announced their intention to leave for the SEC. Cincinnati, Houston, UCF and BYU are set to join the conference this year but none come with a Power Five pedigree.

Adding Colorado—a school with a rising profile due to the arrival of Deion Sanders as head coach—is a major boon that could set the stage for more additions. The Pac-12 is already set to lose USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, and the conference has struggled to land a new television deal amid uncertainty about its future.

It would not be a surprise if Arizona, Utah and Arizona State considered jumping ship next. Oregon is the main remaining pillar of the Pac-12 and has been linked to a potential Big Ten move, though those rumors have cooled down over the last year.

As it stands, the Pac-12 is looking increasingly weak and rudderless during a time that will prove critical in ensuring its future. San Diego State recently pulled back on its plan to join the league to remain in the Moutain West—a sign of how uncertain the Pac-12 is viewed from the outside.

Retaining Arizona, Utah and Arizona State could wind up being the difference between the league remaining strong moving forward and a complete teardown.