Big 12 school presidents have decided that they "will not be adding any new members, ending a three-month expansion exploration with a decision that the league is better off with its current 10 members for now." Yesterday's announcement in Dallas "marks the end – for now anyway – of a protracted and public three-month period in which the league engaged with 20 potential schools, interviewed 11 of them and concluded at the end it was best off with no new members" (
SI.com, 10/17). The decision "should keep intact" the American Athletic Conference, which has "tried to present itself as the sixth power conference" (
N.Y. TIMES, 10/18).
Front-Page Headlines: The Houston Chronicle goes with, "Big 12 Disappointment: Conference Rejects UH" ... The Oklahoman: "Big 12 Votes To Remain At 10" ... Hartford Courant: "UConn Left Out Again" ... K.C. Star, top banner: "Big 12 Expansion Not Gonna Happen, At Least Not This Year" ... Provo Daily Herald: "No Expansion For Big 12 At This Time"
With the expansion debate over, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said that the conference "could make a decision as soon as this week on whether it will form divisions to decide which teams will play" in a football championship game. Bowlsby added that a title game site "could be determined by November." Cities under consideration are K.C., San Antonio and Arlington, Texas (ESPN.com, 10/17).
