National Reaction To Big 12 Inviting BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF

PROVO, Utah – The Big 12 Conference has four new members in BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF.

It was a different expansion situation this time around compared to 2016. The Big 12 was proactive and made it clear they were not going to dissolve as many around the country forecasted for them when Texas and Oklahoma announced their intentions to join the SEC.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and the existing eight schools unanimously voted BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF into their conference.

BYU will join the league beginning in the 2023-24 academic year and the three former AAC programs will join in 2024-25, but it could end up being 2023 as well.

Big 12 Conference expansion was buzzing with prominent college talking heads on social heads. Here are some of the notable reactions to the Big 12 inviting four new members into their league.

The other Big 12 schools are looking around picking a new friendly rival. Meanwhile, Frog fans are staring at BYU like this pic.twitter.com/tqNB3dKwvs

— Frogs O’ War (@FrogsOWar) September 10, 2021

Happy Big 12 expansion day.

Today is a big win for the conference from where it was six weeks ago. BYU Is a big national draw that will open new time slots. UCF and Cincinnati could compete for conference championships from Day 1.

Bob Bowlsby recovered nicely.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 10, 2021

From a hoops standpoint, the Big 12 getting Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF is a nice save after losing Texas and Oklahoma.

Houston has been terrific under Kelvin Sampson, BYU is a national program, Cincinnati should get back to relevance under Wes Miller and UCF is solid.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) September 10, 2021

BYU, Cincinnati, Houston & UCF’s 1st season in Big 12 will be 2023, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. That allows new members to play in conference 2 years w/Oklahoma & Texas still there – unless OU & UT get out early to SEC

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 10, 2021

Just a little disappointed one of the 4 new Big 12 members didn’t insert a last second, quirky contract stipulation like Manny Ramirez’s unlimited sushi clause with a Japanese club.

“For all away games, BYU requires no less than 23 cases of Twizzlers.”

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 10, 2021

The wait is over. It’s official. BYU begins play in the Big 12 in the 2023-24 season. https://t.co/3uUZh9zHjK

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 10, 2021

I’m happy the Big 12 is surviving but if this is such a wonderful thing, the league should have invited these four years ago.

— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) September 10, 2021

Just imagine the next 25 years 🤩 pic.twitter.com/pdEnJqgcuc

— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) September 10, 2021

The AAC: We are a power conference because we just got raided by the Big 12. pic.twitter.com/Pyglusl3U4

— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 10, 2021

Kept this license plate a UC fan sent me during Big 12 expansion talks five years ago… who knew it would prove to be so prescient pic.twitter.com/x76DT67tby

— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) September 10, 2021

Awfully quiet from the “conference realignment is ruining college football” folks today with the Big 12 adding 4 teams

Which makes me realize those takes were never about the sport of college football, but rather people upset that Texas and Oklahoma chose the SEC.

— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) September 10, 2021

Coach Reid was asked about BYU joining the Big 12 Conference: “It’s great. There are good people up there. They deserve that opportunity.” #ChiefsKingdom #Chiefs41 https://t.co/EMNTjtDjTK

— KSHB 41 News (@KSHB41) September 10, 2021

With BYU announcing its plan to leave the West Coast Conference in 2023 for the Big 12, which will add three other members, it’s worth noting that it has been over 40 years since the WCC has lost a member. Pretty strong run in an age of conference realignment.

— Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) September 10, 2021

Power 5 tier list:

Tier 1: SEC
Tier 2: Big Ten
Tier 3a: ACC
Tier 3b: Pac 12 and Big 12

— 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 (@IamJClary) September 10, 2021

2023 is the year…BYU could become THE program of the Big12. https://t.co/Jy2Y7X5moP

— Jim Dunaway (@jimdunaway) September 10, 2021

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.