Big 12 expansion: Six new teams emerge as potential suitors for the conference's realignment plans, ft. Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and more

The Big 12 expansion continues to make headlines in college football. The conference is in the midst of a major realignment, as it prepares to lose two of its biggest brands, Texas and Oklahoma, to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024.

In order to maintain its status as a top-tier league, the conference is looking to expand and replace the Longhorns and Sooners programs. According to reports, six teams have emerged as potential suitors for the conference expansion plan.

The conference is reportedly speaking with the Pac-12 members: Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Washington and Utah. The Pac-12 is struggling to secure new media, which could result in an exodus of its members.

Survival of the fittest between Big 12 and Pac-12

The Big 12 is on a mission to maintain its relevance in college sports with its expansion plan. The conference wants to add more teams in a bid to remain competitive and maintain its powerhouse status. It deems this crucial after the loss of its two biggest programs.

The Pac-12, on the other hand, faces the urgency of keeping its house in order. The conference's struggle to strike a new media deal plunges it into an existential crisis. A good number of its members are seriously considering jumping ship in the near future.

With Brett Yormark and his team targeting six Pac-12 teams in their expansion plan, the two conferences find themselves in a struggle to survive. The Big 12 could add six of them, as there are plans to have 18 teams in the conference.

The existential threat facing the Pac-12 is not only coming from one angle. The Big 10 is also planning an expansion and a couple of Pac-12 teams are being considered. The Big 10 has reportedly vetted 10 teams with five of them coming from the Pac-12.

The Big 12 is not considering SDSU

Despite reports linking San Diego State to the Big 12, the conference is not considering adding the Mountain West team to its roster. The university currently finds itself in limbo after the conference exit drama that occurred last month with the MWC.

Anticipating an invite from the Pac-12, the Aztecs program sent a letter to the Mountain West in the middle of June, notifying them of their intention to depart the conference. SDSU subsequently decided to stay put in the conference in the dying minutes.

However, the MWC believes they've departed and owe an exit fee. The inability of the Pac-12 to secure a media deal and the lack of interest in the school from the Big 12 put San Diego State in a difficult position. We wait to see how they resolve the issues going forward.