Houston Releases Pitch to Join Big 12: Latest Details and Reaction

The University of Houston was one of the schools frequently connected to the Big 12 as the conference explored expansion, though ESPN's Jake Trotter reported on Monday that it would remain with 10 members.  

Houston has unveiled through its official athletic website its pitch to the conference with the hope of being added before the Big 12 made its decision not to expand. 

Included in the pitch is a 56-second hype video that showcases the campus in Houston, academic programs, student body and athletic programs before concluding by telling the world to "remember our name."

There is also a University of Houston PDF brochure and 63-page PowerPoint slideshow pointing out various items, including the statistic that the student enrollment of 43,800 in 2016 being the second-largest in the Big 12 behind Texas and various recognitions like being a Tier 1 research university. 

On the athletics side, Houston promoted having seven sports programs ranked in the top 25 and having five consecutive wins against Top 25 teams in football, trailing only Alabama and Stanford. 

According to Trotter, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said the vote to end expansion talk was unanimous among league presidents and chancellors and is not "an active agenda item" anymore. 

Trotter noted that the Big 12 leaders conducted video interviews with nearly 20 schools and had in-person interviews with Air Force, BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, UConn, Houston, Rice, South Florida, SMU and Tulane last month.  

Houston has quickly developed into one of the nation's top football programs in its second season under head coach Tom Herman. The Cougars have a 19-2 record since 2015 and are currently ranked 11th in the AP Top 25 and Amway Coaches' Poll.