Pac 10 Expansion: Texas, Texas A&M Officials Meeting Thursday Hoping To Save Big 12

With Nebraska reportedly leaving the Big 12 for the Big Ten (announcement expected Friday), and Colorado believed to be ready to accept the Pac 10’s invite, the Big 12 is in an extremely fragile state. And it’s not just those two schools — as outlined in previous updates to this StoryStream, several other Big 12 universities are expected to be invited to the Pac 10.

All of this leaves the demise of the Big 12 somewhat imminent. In an effort to save the conference, officials from Texas and Texas A&M are meeting Thursday morning to discuss ways to hold the Big 12 together, according to the NY Times:

Officials from Texas and Texas A&M will meet Thursday morning in Austin in a last-ditch effort to save the Big 12 Conference. The regents, presidents and athletic officials from the universities are scheduled to meet with the hope of figuring out how to keep the conference together now that the departures of Nebraska and Colorado appear imminent. […]

“I think there’s a strong, strong interest to ensure that the Big 12 exists, regardless of any kind of possible departures,” [Big 12 Commissioner Dan] Beebe said.

He added that the conference would not rule out carrying on without a conference football title game; N.C.A.A. rules require 12 members for such a game.

“It would be one less obstacle to getting into the national championship,” Beebe said. “I think television value would still be there. I’m not talking about any specific school that would be departing. It would still be an extremely strong conference and player in the national landscape.”

We’ll keep you updated here with all the latest news and speculation. Plenty to come, we’re sure.