The "finalists for the Big 12 football championship game," which returns next season, are "believed to be" Dallas, San Antonio and K.C., according to a source cited by Dennis Dodd of CBSSPORTS.com. The conference "intends to award games in a five-year block" from '17-'21. The source said that the games "could go to one location or any combination of those cities." The next steps for the conference would be to "review those proposals and then award the games." A final decision "should come sometime" early in November. Houston's NRG Stadium "did not bid on the game due to a conflict with the SWAC Championship" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/26). In Austin, Brian Davis writes, "Doesn’t seem too difficult. Anchor the event at the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and be done with it" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/28).
SHOW IT ON THE FIELD: In Dallas, Chuck Carlton wrote "better football performance" would help the Big 12 repair its reputation. If the Big 12 misses the CFP for the second time in three years, "questions will again surface about where it ranks among the power five conferences." National championships "in things like gymnastics and softball don't have the same impact." Regarding the conference's decision not to expand, Carlton wrote, "If you see a group in scary clown costumes this weekend, it could just be a hastily called meeting of the Big 12's board of directors. At the very best, the Big 12 presidents wasted a lot of valuable time" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/27).
GOOD CITIZENS: In Hartford, Jacobs & Keating report Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy "reached out to ESPN to push for support of UConn's bid to gain entrance into the Big 12." Malloy's Chief of Staff Kelly Donnelly said, "The governor did speak with John Skipper, president of ESPN, and just as he did in a letter to Big 12 commissioner (Bob) Bowlsby, explained that UConn's strong academic and athletic program would make it an incredible asset to the Big 12." A source said that Skipper "then called Bowlsby," and while "maintaining the position that ESPN preferred no expansion, told the Big 12 commissioner if the league did add teams, that as corporate citizens in Connecticut, ESPN would appreciate that UConn be given all due consideration" (HARTFORD COURANT, 10/28).
