Arizona State AD Apologizes, 'Looks Forward to Visiting' WVU After Comments on Big 12

Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson has apologized after he said he would not visit future Big 12 rival West Virginia's home of Morgantown.

"Although those comments were said in jest and taken out of context, they were clumsy comments from me that I sincerely regret," Anderson told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's The Bickley & Marotta Show (h/t Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic). "Because I offended some people when no offense was intended, and for that I apologize. I sincerely do."

Two days after the Big 12 made ASU, Arizona and Utah's move to the conference official, Anderson had this to say about any potential trips to Morgantown to play WVU.

"I promise I'm not going to Morgantown," athletic director Ray Anderson told reporters. "I'm going to sign that to (deputy AD) Jean Boyd. He can go to Morgantown. But send me to Texas and the rivalry with Arizona and starting a new one with BYU, Utah and Colorado."

Everything appears to be water under the bridge now. Anderson said he apologized to WVU AD Wren Baker, who will pass along those sentiments to school president Gordon Gee.

"It's a beautiful, beautiful college town," Anderson told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. "I look forward to visiting."

Sixteen teams will be in the new Big 12 in 2024. Texas and Oklahoma are headed to the SEC, but the conference is adding UCF, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, ASU, Arizona, Utah and Colorado to the mix.

That will make for some far trips for teams, with Tempe to Morgantown and back among them, but it appears Anderson will be making that trek after all as the conference realignment carousel stomps on.