What teams are joining the Big 12 next year? Analyzing the ongoing drama around conference realignments and expansion plans

The ongoing realignment has probably involved the Big 12 more than any other conference. Not only has it added more schools in its expansion bid, but it has also lost members to the expansion drive of the SEC. Two of the its biggest schools, Oklahoma and Texas announced their schedule in 2021 to switch to the SEC by 2024.

The conference launched its expansion plan to fill the quality and quantity gap that Oklahoma's and Texas' exits would cause. Subsequently, it added BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston who are all set to start competing in the conference this fall.

However, the Big 12 was not done expanding, and readily pounced on the Pac-12 for four schools when the opportunity presented itself.

First was the reunion with Colorado, which was in the conference before switching to the Pac-12 in 2011. A week later, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah were added to the ranks. Together, these four teams are set to officially start competing in the conference come July 2024.

How will the expansion impact the Big 12?

The expansion is expected to have a major impact on the landscape of the conference. First, the boost in size and strength automatically puts the Big 12 in the top three category of the Power 5. Only the Big Ten has more members now with 18 members.

The Arizona schools are traditional college football rivals with several conference championship titles between them. There's also Colorado, who might be having a rough patch, but has a history that includes a national championship title in 1990.

But more than their athletic successes, these programs represent increased economic stability and growth in the coming years. This, and their strong academic reputation, is what the conference is really banking on by adding these schools.

With these schools in its ranks, the Big 12 becomes a more attractive destination for student-athletes who prioritize academic excellence.

Furthermore, with 16 members, the conference can now split into two divisions for football. With that would come more guaranteed bids to the College Football Playoff and hence, more revenue.

The realignment may be far from over, but the proactiveness of its leadership has ensured that the Big 12 has a huge head start. This is despite being at initial disadvantage when it lost Oklahoma and Texas. It's forward for the conference from here.