Big 12 expansion: 3 teams Brett Yormark could target from P5 conferences in latest wave of conference realignment
The Big 12 Conference is looking to make it to the level of the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conferences. Commissioner Brett Yormark has done well in that regard.
With the addition of the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes beginning in the 2024 college football season, there's a lot of excitement surrounding the conference, but there are still some moves it could make to get stronger.
Let's take a deeper dive into three teams the conference could add to continue adding prestige to the Big 12:
Teams Big 12 can add in conference realignment
Duke Blue Devils
One notable thing about the Big 12 Conference is it cares about success in multiple sports.
Duke provides that with college basketball and football programs that have achieved success over the years. Adding Duke would make a lot of sense if it leaves the Atlantic Coast Conference, so expect Yormark to at least make the calls to gauge interest.
Oregon State Beavers & Washington State Cougars
The Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars are in the same boat for a lot of reasons.
They are the last two programs with the Pac-12 Conference, and this is a chance for Brett Yormark to essentially get the rights to the Pac-12 history under his umbrella. It would also ensure it continues to be a hub for the West Coast, having already added four West Coast teams in 2024.
It's difficult to imagine one without the other at this point, as the two schools have essentially created a bond. If the Big 12 can get them, it also expands the possibility of having a superconference as two divisions with the Pac-12: one division that runs independently from the Big 12, with the winners of each battling for the conference championship.
It also helps that Yormark asked the Pac-12 to buy out the conference years ago, so it's a bit of poetic justice on his end.