Big 12 Adopting New Format, Texas And Oklahoma To Stay Through 2024 Season
The Big 12 is moving forward with Texas and Oklahoma in its scheduling decisions.
According to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, the Big 12 is finalizing its conference schedule for the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the intent of both the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners remaining during that span. The two programs are set to leave for the SEC no later than July 1, 2025.
This offseason, former Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby fought to replace the revenue expected to be lost by the two flagship schools by expanding to 12 teams. On July 1, 2023, Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston will leave the American Athletic Conference and officially join the Big 12.
BYU, which has been an independent since 2011, will also make the jump in all athletics on July 1, 2023.
Per Dellenger, Conference executives agreed to a temporary, two-year format during meetings this week in Dallas. The format is expected to include nine conference games and three out-of-conference games for all 14 members until 2025. Much like the Pac-12 and ACC, the Big 12 is expected to feature no divisions during the span.
The two-year format is set up for each team to play all other programs at least once, though it does not guarantee a home-vs-home matchup between both parties. The league is planning to preserve historic rivalries with teams having permanent opponents.
These rivalries would include matchups such as the Red River Showdown (Texas vs. Oklahoma), Bedlam (Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State), The Revivalry (TCU-Baylor), Kansas vs. Kansas State, Texas vs. Texas Tech, and West Virginia vs. Cincinnati.
Texas and Oklahoma have floated the idea of departing the Big 12 early, but the price to move has been astronomically high. Should both programs elect to leave prior to the start of the 2025 athletic season, it would cost over $100 million. According to Dellenger, the two schools are projected to pay at least $80 million in exit fees.
Conversations between the two institutions and new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yorkmark started at Big 12 Media Days of a potential early exit. According to Yorkmark, one of the major factors that initiated the conversation was the current media rights contract.
Yormark is currently in discussions with both FOX and ESPN on a new television contract. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Yorkmark said his conversations with streaming companies have been "meaningful" and are expected to accelerate in the coming weeks.
Following the announcement of USC and UCLA's plan to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, rumors circulated that the Big 12 could be targeting Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah as future expansion candidates. Sources tell SI.com that as of now, the conference expects to return to 12 teams when Texas and Oklahoma officially leave.
Should the Big 12 elect to poach the four programs from the Pac-12, the Big 12 would emerge as the third "super conference" featuring 16 teams. Both the SEC and Big Ten will form 16-team conferences with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma and USC and UCLA, respectively.
LonghornsCountry.com will continue to keep you up to date with everything surrounding Texas and its future with the Big 12.
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