Big 12 Conference extends invitations to BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston

After a couple weeks of rumors, rumblings and eventually reports from credible media outlets, the Big 12 presidents have officially invited the BYU Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats, UCF Golden Knights and Houston Cougars to join the conference.

Presidents from the eight remaining Big 12 schools met this morning and unanimously voted to extend invitations to the four schools, expanding the conference temporarily to 14 members while Oklahoma and Texas count down the days until they move to the SEC.

The schools are scheduled to officially join the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023, and will begin playing conference games that Fall.

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and other Big 12 representatives will be joining the four new members via videoconferences throughout the afternoon as the individual schools hold their press conferences.

The impeding departure of Oklahoma and Texas — whether it be in 2022 or 2025 — leaves a power vacuum waiting to be filled, and West Virginia should be able to position themselves firmly atop the conference at that point.