3 Big 12 football schools that the PAC-12 should target for expansion
TCU
Potentially the most interesting candidate out of the Big 12 in any hypothetical PAC-12 expansion talks is the TCU Horned Frogs.
The idea that the PAC-12 could get into the huge Dallas-Fort Worth TV and recruiting market by getting a school like TCU in the mix should be very appealing to their administration. But that is just one of the many appealing cases that the Horned Frogs can make to join the mix in the PAC-12.
TCU presents a similar argument in multiple facets to Baylor in terms of how well-rounded the school is from an athletic and academic perspective. There is an argument to be made that TCU could be the more competitive and well-rounded athletic program compared with the likes of Baylor and Oklahoma State over the long haul were they to join the PAC-12.
A lot of the fate of the Horned Frogs as an entire athletic brand rests on the newly hired former SMU Mustangs head coach Sonny Dykes. Replacing the longtime now-former head coach Gary Patterson roughly six months ago as the second TCU head coach in the last two decades, Dykes will be responsible for returning TCU back to national prominence.
As it pertains to the PAC-12 connection, though, there are multiple ways that this move could make sense. Dykes is a former head coach in the PAC-12 that had some success with recruiting out on the west coast. Dykes was the head coach of the Cal Golden Bears from 2014-2016.
Next. 3 freshmen standing out in summer workouts for Texas. dark
TCU also has a large student and alumni base on the west coast, which keeps strong ties in PAC-12 country. It’s also worth noting that the Horned Frogs form one of the more competitive athletic programs all-around, especially with the near-term outlook of the men’s basketball under Jamie Dixon and the touted baseball program.