Report: BYU, UCF, Houston, Cincinnati expected to apply for Big 12 membership

UCF, Houston, BYU, and Cincinnati are expected to apply for Big 12 membership next week, sources told Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde.

Big 12 presidents could reportedly approve the admission during their next meeting on Sept. 10.

The conference holds the eight votes required to approve the expansion.

The news comes just weeks after Texas and Oklahoma both accepted admission into the SEC. The soon-to-be-former members of the Big 12 are not expected to leave the conference until 2025; leaving the league prior to the expiration of the grant-of-rights agreement in 2024 could potentially cost each school upward of $100 million.

If the plan for approval goes as planned, new members would reportedly be able to join as soon as 2023 and no later than 2024. This would mean that the Big 12 would see its membership increase to 14 before the Longhorns and Sooners depart.

UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati would need to provide the AAC with a 27-month notice of their intention to leave, as well as pay a $10 million exit fee. An earlier departure would likely require a higher fee. BYU, which operates as an independent in football, must notify the WCC its other sports intend to leave.

With the addition of four new institutions, the Big 12 would be able to retain its status among the Power 5. Inclusion among a group of conferences such as the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC allows the Big 12 to have a voice in decision-making and retain its tie-in to postseason bowl games.