7 teams the Big 12 should target in next round of college football realignment


While name, image and likeness money and the transfer portal have had huge impacts on the college football landscape, nothing has changed the sport more than conference realignment.

A decade ago, when Nebraska, Texas A&M, Colorado and Missouri left the Big 12 it upset the apple cart of college football. The latest moves by Texas, Oklahoma, USC and UCLA, leaving their Power Five conferences for greener pastures, has turned over the tables.

The moves over the last year have put the SEC and Big Ten at the forefront of college football, leaving behind the ACC and Big 12 in college football’s version of the Monday Night Wars. The ACC and the Big 12 have solid foundations even if they don’t have the same media rights bargaining position as the SEC and Big Ten. The Pac-12 looks like the conference that is on the flimsiest foundation with the Big Ten and Big 12 lurking.

New Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has been open about the conference’s desire to expand. Not long after the USC-UCLA announcement, it was reported the Big 12 was looking to add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. Reports have slowed since as the Pac-12 entered a 30-day window to open negotiations on its media right deal, but the interest from the Big 12 is still there.

And if it was able to, the conference would be interested in adding Oregon and Washington, though the Big 12 will have to contend with the Big Ten for those northwestern powers.

As conference realignment continues to reshape the future of college football, let’s take a look at seven schools the Big 12 should target in conference expansion.

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After the latest rounds of realignment, there isn’t a more valuable brand available than the Oregon Ducks. It may be a pipe dream for the Big 12 since the Big Ten potentially has its sights set on the Ducks. However, with maneuvering involving Notre Dame, Oregon may not want to wait on what the Big Ten might do with the Fighting Irish. The Irish would like to remain independent but that will not stop the Big Ten from pursuing.

Oregon’s success on the gridiron combined with its backing from Nike founder Phil Knight provides significant value to whichever conference makes the most attractive duck call.


On the surface, Washington may not seem like a team with a big enough draw, but in Forbes list of most valuable college football programs, the Huskies were inside the top 25. It’s plausible that wherever Oregon goes, Washington follows.

The Huskies bring in a Seattle and northwest media market that would be attractive to future media rights partners, growing the footprint of the Big 12 nationwide.