What schools should the Big 12 add to replace Texas, Oklahoma?

If the Big 12 wants to stay alive, it has to find the right replacements for Texas and Oklahoma.

While losing Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC is devastating, the Big 12 can stay alive if it adds the right full-time members to offset these losses.

Look. You do not “replace” Texas and Oklahoma. Their brands are too big for two mid-major schools to fill their massive shoes. However, becoming the Big Eight again is probably not going to cut it in the College Football Playoff era. 10 teams with a nine-team, round-robin, regular-season schedule sure will though. So what two schools should the Big 12 be handing out entry bids soon?

Fortunately for the Big 12, it has plenty of suitors to consider to mitigate these two brutal losses.

Big 12 realignment: What schools should replace Texas and Oklahoma?

The best course of action for the Big 12 to make here is to add schools with strong football programs in Group of Five conferences. Since they were up for consideration roughly half a decade ago, the two most logical teams to “replace” Texas and Oklahoma are the Houston Cougars and the Cincinnati Bearcats of The American. Both AAC schools have won the Group of Five recently.

By adding Houston, the Big 12 gets a flagship university in the most fruitful county when it comes to high school football in the country: Harris County. Houston has great facilities and boosters with deep pockets. For years, the University of Houston has operated like a Power Five school at a Group of Five level. As the football program rebuilds, the men’s basketball program is humming.

As for Cincinnati, the Bearcats are the reigning Group of Five champions. They also have a rich history on the hardwood. Adding Cincinnati gives the Big 12 the three biggest media markets in Ohio in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. Luke Fickell was well on his way towards being a Power Five head coach anyway. Keep in mind Dana Holgorsen already was before at West Virginia.

Of course, there are other schools up for discussion to replace Texas and Oklahoma in the Big 12. Outside of Houston and Cincinnati, Boise State and BYU make some sense. The Broncos and the Cougars would have no issue playing up a level when it comes to Power Five football. Boise State has been a Group of Five beast for years and BYU is an incredibly strong national independent.

However, there is not a ton to gain by venturing into Idaho to acquire the Boise metro area’s broadcasting rights. While BYU is a national brand and would give the Big 12 Salt Lake City, the LDS university has certain rules and regulations that could make things difficult for them joining a Power Five conference, such as playing on Sundays. Both schools should be considered, though.

If the Big 12 wants to replace Texas and Oklahoma, they should start with Houston and Cincinnati.

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