True, the Pacific-12 Conference already had a dozen members, but media reports indicated that the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and other possible Big 12 schools would join Colorado there.
The OU Board of Regents recently gave President David L. Boren the authority to negotiate all alignment options — prompting an anticipated move to the Pac-12 — but then OU received word late Tuesday from the West Coast.
“After careful review, we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a prepared statement.
OU Regent Max Weitzenhoffer said this morning that he’s not happy that OU will be shut out of the Pac-12. The conference includes the likes of Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
“I’m very disappointed that we didn’t get to go to the Pac-12, because as a conference, it is both academically and athletically superior to ours,” Weitzenhoffer said.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Big 12 started fracturing when the Nebraska Cornhuskers announced it would join the Big Ten Conference. ESPN.com addressed reports today that Missouri would be joining Texas A&M in relocating to the Southeastern Conference.
“The Southeastern Conference has not agreed formally or informally to accept any institution other than Texas A&M, and there have not been conference discussions regarding changes in divisional alignments,” Charles Bloom, the SEC’s associate commissioner, said in a statement.
What will OU do now?
“Stay where were are, I guess,” Weitzenhoffer said with a laugh. “We don’t have much choice, do we?”
