Conference realignment seems to be an ever-ongoing conversation these days, which is one that often involves Big 12 football. Since the news came about a couple of years ago that the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners were leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, this conference has remained in the midst of the realignment/expansion conversation pretty constantly.
The Big 12 responded to the Longhorns and Sooners leaving the conference for the SEC by adding four more teams starting in the fall of 2023. This fall, the Big 12 will welcome the Houston Cougars, BYU Cougars, UCF Knights, and Cincinnati Bearcats to the competition in this conference.
Could we see more conference realignment have an impact on the Big 12 in the near future?
Big 12 football poaching options if the ACC starts to fall apart
Something that could impact the realignment conversation for the Big 12 this year is the move that was reported by Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger this week that seven schools are looking for a way out of the ACC. Among the seven schools that could want out of the ACC are some of the most valuable athletic programs in the conference (i.e. Clemson and Florida State).
Given how imperative it will be for the PAC-12, Big 12, and ACC all to survive through the next round of TV negotiations, it will be interesting to see how this news unfolds in the coming weeks and months.
With that in mind, here’s a look at four ACC schools that the Big 12 could hypothetically try and poach in the next looming round of conference expansion/realignment.