New Big 12 Begins July 1, Here's What New Schools Bring

STILLWATER – It seems like just yesterday we were all sitting around talking about Oklahoma and Texas contemplating leaving the Big 12 to join the SEC. 

Fast forward a handful of years and the Big 12 is really the “Big 16 conference” as BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joined the conference last year and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah officially join the conference on Aug. 2.

So, ironically enough, it’s officially the Big 12, at least for the next month.

While I was initially against the addition of the four corner schools based on the lack of competitiveness over the past decade, aside of Utah, the decision has really grown on me over the past year.

Arizona has drastically improved in football over the past year, having gone 10-3 in 2023 and set for an equally good 2024 season. Men’s basketball has been one of the best programs in the country for a while, baseball made the NCAA tournament, and the softball team made the Stillwater Super Regional against the Cowgirls. Not to mention adding a great metro market area like Tucson, AZ.

While football hasn’t been good for Arizona State, things appear to be trending in the right direction under Kenny Dillingham. He’s the youngest head coach at an FBS school. While the Sun Devils bring new life into the conference, the athletic department needs to improve across the board. It completes the Tucson market, a big boon for the Big 12.

It’s fun to see Colorado back in the Big 12 after a 13-year stint in the Pac-12. Since leaving, the Buffs have had virtually zero success in football. There’s still Prime, though. Women’s basketball is coming off a really solid 24-10 season, making it three rounds into the NCAA tournament, beating No. 15 K-State in the round of 32 and falling to the eventual champs, Iowa.

Men’s basketball was almost equally as successful with a 26-11 record and a three-round trip into the NCAA tournament. The CU athletic department brings skiing into the Big 12, plus a beautiful campus. Looking forward to making my way back to Boulder.

Utah might be the athletic department most people are excited about as they bring one of the most successful Pac-12 football programs of the last few years. While an 8-5 season wasn’t exactly what the Utes were looking for, they enter the Big 12 as one of the national favorites to make the CFP.

Utah also brings skiing to the party, which seems like a blast. With the Arizona schools, BYU, Colorado and Utah, the Big 12 dominates the Mountain Time zone. The massive influx in Olympic sports really helps diversify the conference and with the influx in cash for each department, you should see a steady increase in success and talent across the board.