Will the UConn Huskies leave for the Big 12? 

According to multiple reports, UConn Huskies could be one of the teams that the Big 12 Conference may be targeting for expansion. The Huskies have been contemplating an exit from the Big East Conference for a few years now, as they feel that they are bigger than most of the other programs in the conference.

The basketball program has been successful on both the men's and women's sides of things. The men's team has won five championships (1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023) while the women's team has won 11 championships (1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). However, their football team has been struggling and needs to improve.

This is not the first time we have seen UConn have this issue as this happened in the mid-2000s when they were considering a jump. They had a spell from 2013-14 to 2019-20 when they left the Big East to join the AAC.

UConn "Considering" leaving Big East for Big 12

A move to a bigger conference would really help the budget issues for Connecticut as they would be part of the massive Big 12 television deal. Currently, their football is independent and there is no television deal in place so they would immediately jump at the opportunity for their football team to go to the next level.

However, the same cannot be said for their basketball programs as this could be a negative point. They would now be competing in conference play against teams like Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns, Kansas State Wildcats, Baylor Bears, and TCU Horned Frogs. Those five teams were all ranked at the end the season and that makes it more difficult to win the conference championship and essentially tougher to make the NCAA Tournament.

The decision is going to be made soon as the college football season begins in a few months and there would need to be a decision made for the future of both conferences.

Whatever the UConn Huskies decide is the best decision for their athletic program is going to change the complexion of both major sports. The level of competition and the way they are viewed will change. Thus, this will be a massive decision to keep an eye on.