Big 12 Expansion Rumors: News and Speculation on Teams Joining Conference

The Big 12 was exploring potential future expansion, but the conference has decided not to go through with its plans, per ESPN's Brett McMurphy.

Continue for updates.

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Big 12 Reportedly Putting Expansion on Hold

Tuesday, Oct. 18

McMurphy reported schools that were in favor of expansion were told to just "go along" because a majority would not be met.

Chip Brown of HornsDigest.com, citing multiple sources on Monday, reported that no new members were added during Monday's Board of Directors meeting in Dallas. Earlier, Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman reported sources at Texas and Houston said, "they expect nothing out of expansion today at [Monday's] Big 12 presidents meeting."

Jake Trotter of ESPN later added that the conference "could not reach the requisite consensus on any of the expansion candidates it considered Monday and will stand pat at 10 members for the time being," citing multiple sources.

Trotter's report stated that there were deliberations for "more than five hours" but that "no expansion candidate generated a supermajority, or the eight votes, necessary to garner an invitation."

Ahead of the meeting, Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com reported on Oct. 14 that the conference may hold off on an expansion for a few months, with a source saying there is a "fairly good" chance the discussions are put on hold.

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OU President Reportedly a Hurdle to Expansion

Tuesday, Sept. 27

Pete Thamel of Campus Rush reported, citing multiple sources, that Oklahoma President David Boren "has come full circle on his expansion beliefs, adding another layer of uncertainty to the already muddled Big 12 expansion exploration process."

Thamel reported there is a belief within the Big 12 that "Boren has reversed course on his view of expansion."

Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News confirmed the report, calling it a "potential game-changer," adding that other schools "have to unite if expansion is going to happen."

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Report: Big 12 Could Add Football-Only Members

Friday, Sept. 16

Per Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman, "The notion of 'football only' members being added to the Big 12 is gaining some traction."

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League Has Approved Exploration of Expansion With Multiple Targets in Mind

The Big 12 unanimously approved expansion exploration in July, as Thamel reported it was "nearly definite" two schools would be added, and there was a high possibility four teams could join.

Two months after that decision by the conference, there have been no official announcements about schools that will join.

Per Dodd, Oklahoma President David Boren seemed to indicate that a resolution to the expansion may not come until after all of the Big 12 presidents meet on Oct. 16 and 17.

Thamel reported Friday the Big 12 has "engaged 20 schools on expansion and interviewed 11" throughout this process. He also speculated that Cincinnati and Houston have a 60 percent chance of being added.

No matter what the Big 12's final expansion looks like, Houston makes the most sense given its proximity to programs like Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech and Baylor.

The Cougars are also a program on the rise after beating Florida State in the Peach Bowl to end last season and Oklahoma in Week 1 this season.

The Big 12 has only featured 10 programs since 2012 when TCU and West Virginia joined after Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas A&M went to different conferences.