Big 12 Expansion Subcommittee Formed, Meeting With School Presidents

SALT LAKE CITY – With the Pac-12 Conference opting not to expand and reports surfacing that the Big 12 is “seriously discussing BYU,” conference expansion is emerging as a big storyline again in college football.

What happens next? The Big 12 Conference has created a four-person expansion subcommittee that consists of Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt, Baylor AD Mack Rhoades, Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod, and Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen.

According to Red Raiders athletic leader Hocutt in a press conference on Thursday night, the subcommittee is scheduled to meet with school presidents within the Big 12 Conference on Friday, August 27th, to discuss the next steps in the expansion process.

Hocutt said he is part of a Big 12 expansion committee with the Kansas and Iowa State presidents and Baylor’s AD. pic.twitter.com/eCAQ0qp32U

— David Collier (@CollieronTV) August 26, 2021

“I’m serving on the expansion committee for the Big 12 Conference,” said Hocutt. “We’re active. We’re actually meeting with the Presidents early [Friday] morning. And we’ll have some in-person meetings with the athletic directors next week with our media/television consultants. We’re continually talking to Commissioner Bowlsby as well as Oliver Luck. Feel very fortunate that we have Oliver engaged in our conversations in helping us navigate the waters ahead as well.”

Oliver Luck was hired as a consultant for the Big 12 Conference last week. Luck is a former West Virginia Athletic Director and XFL Commissioner. Many college football talking heads considered him a top target for the vacant Pac-12 Commissioner role that MGM’s George Kliavkoff eventually filled.

School presidents are key decision-makers in expansion talks

Now that the remaining eight Big 12 teams don’t have a lifeline extended to them from the Pac-12, they have to strengthen themselves by adding teams. Taking the step to meet with school presidents is always a noteworthy development in expansion talks.

When it comes to adding members, school presidents are key decision-makers for potentially adding new members.

The wheels once again are in motion with Big 12 Conference expansion.

Hocutt added, “There’s no more important topic that’s in front of us right now or will be in front of us once the [football] season kicks off, and for the next couple of years, I would imagine.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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