Conference expansion has been a dormant issue in college football, but it could soon be at the forefront of national discussion. The Big 12, the conference with "one true champion" co-champions, could be looking to expand into new TV markets to help strengthen itself.
Cincinnati is a candidate for such expansion.
From dallasnews.com:
If the TV numbers make sense and Texas buys in -- two big ifs -- then the Big 12 has to look at how many and who.
If numbers aren't there, expansion doesn't make sense. Will all due respect to schools extolling their virtues to the Big 12, there's a reason those schools remain outside the "power five.''
Since any expansion dovetails with a TV network, look to the markets of possible candidates. For now, the top four are believed to be Connecticut, BYU (which has a national following), Cincinnati and possibly Colorado State (Denver market), although the situation is fluid.
The American Athletic Conference is no football slouch, but Cincinnati would set its membership card on fire tonight if it meant passage into a Power 5 conference.
