Big 12 Conference Reportedly Could Pursue Utah, Other Pac-12 Programs

Jun 30, 2022, 2:41 PM | Updated: 2:45 pm

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 4: The Big 12 logo is seen on a pylon before the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 Football Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 4, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. Baylor won 21-16.(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

BY TREVOR ALLEN

Streaming Executive Producer and Digital Content Producer

SALT LAKE CITY – The dominos continue to fall around college athletics that now include the University of Utah and other Pac-12 schools being pursued by the Big 12.

Reports surfaced on Thursday morning that USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, leaving the Conference of Champions looking at what is next, including Utah. This move doesn’t just benefit the Big Ten, it also could be a massive plus for the Big 12, who will lose Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC in 2024.

According to Brett McMurphy of the Action Network, the Big 12 may get aggressive and look to add to their conference by looking at Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State.

USC & UCLA move to Big Ten should be completed by Friday & Big Ten may not stop at 16, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Big 12 may get aggressive & look to add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado & Utah. “We’re headed to super conferences,” source saidhttps://t.co/um8DBJVJ9s

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 30, 2022

The college athletics landscape is going to look significantly different in two years when Texas and Oklahoma head to the SEC and USC and UCLA are off to the Big Ten. The Big 12 recently expanded their conference after the news of Texas and Oklahoma leaving, by adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

It’s looking more likely that the landscape of college sports will be moved to a couple of “Super Conferences” with the SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten leading the charge. If Utah was to join the Big 12, they would be in the same conference as their rival BYU for the first time since 2010.

Utah is fresh off of winning their first ever Pac-12 Championship in football and appearing in the Rose Bowl for the first time in program history. Men’s basketball is on the rise after changing head coaches from Larry Krystkowiak to Craig Smith. Lynne Roberts took the women’s basketball program to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade.

All four Pac-12 schools included in this report will be great programs to add to any power conference. According to Ivan Maisel of On3 Sports, Pac-12 CEO’s and Athletic Directors will have a conference call with commissioner George Kliavkoff on Thursday afternoon.