BYU in the Big 12 is happening.

Things change rapidly, I had a nice post written last weekend, and decided to wait a week and see what happened.  Something did.

The four schools that are being looked at most seriously by the Big 12 for expansion are BYU, Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston.

The reports are that these four will join in 2023.  That means that the Big 12 will be at 14 for two seasons unless Texas and Oklahoma can negotiate an early buyout.  Likely, and this is my speculation, the divisions will be all of Texas with Oklahoma State and BYU in the west.  Everyone else in the east.  This will force the Red River Rivalry, between Texas and Oklahoma to be a non-conference game.  Although, the conference may go to 8 conference games during that period to accommodate.  This gives a two year period to solidify the four new schools as power-5 programs.  You don't need to get BYU or UCF into the playoffs during that period (Although, I like BYU's chances if Jaren Hall stays at BYU.  He will be a senior in 2023) but they just need to prove they can compete.

BYU will dump a slate of non conference games from 2023 on.  All of them have clauses allowing BYU to cancel the games if they receive a Power 5 conference invite.  For BYU in 2023, I imagine they will keep Tennessee, Arkansas, Rice and Utah State on the schedule.  (Two at home and two on the Road)  What about the other games? UCF is now in the same conference, probably not in the same division.  Virginia and Fresno State could play each-other.  USF and UNLV could play each other.  And the marquee matchup to come out of this...Boise State playing at USC.  But I am not going to devote a whole blog post to that.  All I will say is BYU's non-conference priority will be keeping the rivalry with Utah going and to play the Utes whenever the two can get together.  Utah State will also be a priority for the Cougars as well.  Likely Boise State and BYU will play regularly, but not every season.

Also, if you are a fan of Boise State and Memphis.  (Colorado State or UConn)  Don't fret.  If the Big 14 works, you may get to join in 2025.  

I am sad to see annual games between BYU and Boise State to go by the wayside.  I enjoyed the series and hope that a 14-team Big 12 will work and we will see BSU in the conference.  They are a fun program, and look to be having a "down" year this year. (For them a down year is 9-3.) Being passed over by a power conference is probably a gut punch for the fans and program.  

One thing I am looking forward to is the "cat fight" between BYU and Houston.  In recent years, they have played some classics.  Including a pair of matchups from last decade where they beat each other on the road, Houston winning a close game in Provo, BYU winning a close one in Houston.  They were fun games.  This will be a fun new rivalry.

There will be other dominoes that fall.  I decided rather than one big post about how, to break this up into conference by conference and see where it goes from there.  Obviously, when I write about how the Big Sky Conference is effected by all of this and discuss whether the MW is better with North Dakota State or North Texas, BYU fans will tune out.  They probably don't care.  Those post are in the works.  Particularly interesting to me is a possible war between the AAC and the MWC is brewing.  Obviously, the MWC may be planning for life after Boise State, but they do not want to lose BSU to the AAC.

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Possible alignment for 2023-24 for Big 12(14) conference.

Possible BYU schedule for 2023:
(Note...not the actual schedule)

9/2--Tennessee
9/9--Kansas State*
9/16--At Utah State
9/23--At Arkansas
9/29--Rice
10/7--At Texas*
10/14--Texas Tech*
10/21--(BYE)
10/28--at Baylor*
11/4--Oklahoma State*
11/11--at TCU*
11/18--Cincinnati*
11/25--at Houston*