Big 12 cuts list of potential expansion targets

The Big 12 has reportedly narrowed down their list of schools being considered for expansion to between six and eight.

It’s one of the ongoing dramas in the world of major college football: when will the Big 12 Conference finally expand from their current 10 teams and which schools from across the country will the finally accept.

After nearly two dozen schools reportedly sent letters to the conference asking for consideration, we’re getting an idea of some of the programs that have made the cut. One of them comes out of the state of Ohio, as one writer for the Cincinnati Bearcats believes the current AAC team has made the cut:

At the same time, a reporter for Denver’s CBS affiliate, KCNC-TV, is reporting that the Colorado State Rams have also made the cut into a field that reportedly is about half a dozen programs being considered by the Power Five conference:

At the same time, we also now know that the conference will not be expanding into the states of North Carolina or Nevada any time soon, as both the East Carolina Pirates and UNLV Rebels informed the world that they will not be in that final group being considered:

Cincinnati is pretty close to being a lock for expansion whenever the Big 12 decides to do so. It’s a solid program in a football rich area of the country. The same can be said for both UCF and USF, which would bring the state of Florida into the fold if one of them makes the cut.

In total, these are the teams who made the first wave of cuts. Cincinnati, BYU, UConn, Memphis, USF, UCF, Temple, Colorado State, SMU and Houston.

Related Story: Big XII preview and predictions for 2016

The Big 12 will add 2-4 teams and reinstate their Big 12 Championship Game. Expansion will likely take place in the next year.