Trevino’s Tidbits

What would the ‘perfect’ new Big 12 look like in conference realignment

BYU was, and still is, an appealing add to the conference. The brand is transcendent of sports, and the alumni base is massive, but with the Pac-12’s future in jeopardy, take advantage and get Utah.

Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter

Former Big 12 commis- sioner Bob Bowlsby doesn’t get enough of the credit he deserves.

Two months after OU and Texas announced it would leave the conference, he found four replacements to keep the conference alive and well and ensured its future. In 2022 when he handed the reins to commissioner Brett Yormark, Yormark continued to take the conference realignment spotlight on the Big 12 to present day, with rumors of future expansion with Pac-12 schools as well as Gonzaga and UConn for basketball.

As it enters a new era, how the Big 12 will continue to expand is the biggest question around the conference. Well, I have my own answer.

Some ground rules: Keep the Big 12 at 12 teams. Even though there will be 14 teams next season, let’s not make that permanent and have to change the name of the conference. Let’s stay at 12. Second, keeping OU and Texas in the conference would be too easy. They’re gone, and there’s no changing that, no matter how much of the Big 12’s identity they almost single handedly hold.

Step 1: You got the wrong school from Utah. Swap Cougars for Utes.

For football — by far the most important from a business and competitive view — Utah has been a perennial top-25, sometimes top-10, team for the past 10 years. The Utes have been to back-to-back Rose Bowls and are only getting better under 19-year coach Kyle Whittingham.

They’re solid in men’s basketball and below average in baseball, but are good in women’s basketball, softball, tennis, track and field, cross-country and golf.

Step 2: Why stop at Utah? Poach Oregon, Washington and Washington State.

The Big 12’s rumored pursuit of Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado hasn’t made much sense. All three are average or below average in almost every sport except one, and if the conference wants to snatch Pac12 schools, why not go after the big names remaining, such as Oregon, Washington and Washington State.

Oregon is a massive brand, especially with its backing from Nike. The Ducks are great at football (unless they’re playing Georgia), men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. Washington just whooped Texas in the Alamo Bowl and are similar in success with Oregon in other sports. Both have also been to the College Football Playoffs.

See Tidbits on 3