Conference realignment is coming sooner to the SEC than was previously announced, with Texas and Oklahoma arriving in 2024. The Big 12 is losing two storied programs, but the Lone Star State-based conference is also eyeing new programs.
After adding Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, and UCF, the Big 12 is now looking to poach Utah, Arizona State, Arizona, and Colorado — a move that would effectively kill the Pac-12, who is looking to add SMU and San Diego State according to The Athletic staff (subscription required), in order to keep the Power Five conference afloat.
While the Big 12 isn’t looking to slow down in their pursuit of elevating itself to the level of the SEC and the Big Ten, they reportedly aren’t looking to add just any program in conference realignment.
USF won’t be going to the Big 12, or anywhere in the Power Five, in conference realignment
The Tampa Bay Times’ Matt Baker reports that USF won’t be joining former War on I4 rival UCF as a Sunshine State representative in the Big 12 — a conference that is reportedly looking to add time zones, not football programs down on their luck:
"“…don’t get your hopes up yet, USF fans. The Bulls’ struggles in football (and, to a lesser extent, men’s basketball) are still a problem that will be hard, if not impossible, for a major conference to get past. USF also wouldn’t add a new time zone for the Big 12, which is a goal for its commissioner.”"
USF has won eight games over the past four seasons, so until the program could stabilize at least somewhat, the Tampa market will go untapped at the Power Five level.
As for as where college football goes, the Big 12 adding schools from the Pac-12 is the variable that determines if the sport is heading towards a Power Three arrangement. If the Pac-12 adds SMU and San Diego State instead, the conference may just survive.