Surprising east coast school could follow Colorado to Big 12: Report
A surprising east coast-based college football independent could soon follow Colorado football to the Big 12 according to Extra Points’ Matt Brown — who is hearing that UConn is more likely to be the Big 12 conference’s desired 14th team than any other rumored Pac-12 or Group of Five program.
“I don’t think this cycle is over yet,” Brown prefaced before saying, “Brett McMurphy reported on Thursday that the Big 12 would like to get to an even number of teams, either by flipping additional Pac-12 schools like Arizona, Arizona State and Utah or by grabbing a G5 program like UConn, San Diego State, Memphis, or UNLV. For what it’s worth, I’ve had more industry chatter about UConn potentially making the move than I have anybody else, even Arizona.” CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah has reported that Arizona is a “top priority” for the Big 12 if the conference were to add another Pac-12 program.
“If the Big 12 only adds one more Power Five school, the Wildcats are top priority,” Jeyarajah prefaced before saying, “Arizona fits well within the elite basketball configuration of the Big 12 and has invested well on the football side of things under third-year coach Jedd Fisch. Getting into the American Southwest has long been a target for the Big 12, and connecting through Colorado and Provo, Utah (BYU), makes the add a no-brainer.”
Adding Colorado football is a narrative victory for the Big 12
With Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC in 2024, the Big 12 will be without their two most prominent national programs just a year after its four major additions: Houston, Cincinnati, UCF, and BYU. But with CU, the Big 12 would replace them with a temporary national attraction for as long as Sanders sticks in Boulder.
The odds are high that Coach Prime will be coaching the Buffs for at least the three years of eligibility his son Shedeur Sanders has left, so until Colorado gets back to a point where the brand is rebuilt, the “Prime Time” spotlight will carry the Big 12 into the expanded College Football Playoff era at least from a narrative perspective.