3 teams Brett Yormark can target for Big 12 expansion in the latest wave of conference realignment

The Big 12 has done well in terms of expansion in the last few years. Eight of its members in the 2024-25 academic year will be less than two years in the conference.

The quartet of Houston, Cincinnati, UCF and BYU officially joined the conference last summer. The league will also be adding Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah from the imploded Pac-12 this summer. This marks a great leap for a conference that was previously in chaos.

Brett Yormark has reiterated the fact that the conference is open to expansion since he became the commissioner. The league has made significant expansion moves under his leadership, and it doesn't seem like they are done. There could well be more expansion moves.

Let's take a look at three schools that the Big 12 could possibly target in its next phase of expansion and conference realignment.

---

Three teams the Big 12 can target in the next expansion phase

#1 Miami

Miami is undoubtedly one of the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, boasting an amazing history in college football. The program has won the national title five times and also has nine conference championships.

With the ACC in the midst of chaos, the Hurricanes top the list of teams the Big 12 could poach from the league. The program also aims to exit the ACC despite the binding Grant of Rights agreement.

Brett Yormark will undoubtedly see the value Miami offers and will be eager to add the school. It remains to be seen how the Hurricane will find its way out of the embattled ACC.

#2 Louisville

Louisville is another ACC school that will be on top of the list of the Big 12 in the next wave of conference realignment. The Cardinals appeared in the ACC football championship game last season and have eight conference titles overall.

Considering the achievement of the school in recent years, Brett Yormark will undoubtedly be open to bringing them in as they offer the needed value. The university also faces the problem of navigating the ACC Grant of Rights agreement.

#3 Gonzaga

Brett Yormark has been vocal about his intention to improve the Big 12 basketball appeal. The conference has been strong in the sport over the years, but the commissioner wants the league to be more dominant.

This brings about the possibility of adding Gonzaga to the conference. Yormark met with the Bulldogs to discuss the possibility of a realignment last summer. This could be resuscitated in the conference's next wave of expansion.