Sources confirmed that BYU, Houston and UCF will submit applications next week for the Big 12 according to ESPN.
According to Sports Illustrated who first reported the story, admission could be granted as soon as the Sept. 10 meeting among Big 12 presidents.
ESPN reported that "Things have been moving quickly" on Friday by a source. "There is obvious momentum to get votes for the board."
American Athletic Conference bylaws require that schools give notice for 27 months before they leave the conference and pay a $10,000,000 buyout fee. Although joining before the 2023 season is unlikely, it could be possible to negotiate a faster exit and a higher buyout. Sources said that 2024 is the most realistic timeframe.
ESPN was told by sources in America that UCF, Cincinnati and Houston have not officially informed the conference about their intention to leave.
ESPN reported Thursday that representatives from the four schools had informally approached the Big 12 regarding membership.
According to a Big 12 source, "All those schools reached out and we," the source who was familiar with the discussions. "It wasn’t like we poached their talent. They all communicated with us."
Although the Big 12 presidents are expected next week to meet, a conference source suggested that it may only be eight presidents for their regular scheduled meeting. The full board must be present to vote on new membership, according to a source. This includes Oklahoma and Texas. The Big 12 will likely have eight of the 10 votes required to accept the schools into conference.
Oklahoma and Texas both stated that they would honor the grant-of-rights agreement prior to joining the SEC in July 2025. If this is true, the Big 12 could operate as a 14-team conference for one year with the new members competing alongside their co-founders. BYU, an FBS-independent, could also join the Big 12 before American schools.
Bob Bowlsby, commissioner of the Big 12, declined to comment on Friday.
