Through the Phog
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Kansas basketball’s options in conference realignment

By Cade Stout

Dec 14, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; UMKC Kangaroos head coach Billy Donlon and Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talk after the game at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; UMKC Kangaroos head coach Billy Donlon and Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talk after the game at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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MORGANTOWN, WV – SEPTEMBER 26: The Big 12 logo on the yardage marker during the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins at Mountaineer Field on September 26, 2015 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV – SEPTEMBER 26: The Big 12 logo on the yardage marker during the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins at Mountaineer Field on September 26, 2015 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

Kansas basketball’s options in conference realignment

Expanding to survive

OU and UT moving to the SEC significantly hurts the Big 12, but the league may choose to aggressively expand to survive.

With an emergency meeting scheduled, do not expect the Big 12 Conference to go down without a fight.

If Oklahoma and Texas join, the SEC becomes the first conference to reach 16 teams. Expect the other power conferences to follow suit. The Big 12 may need to expand to 16 to sustain itself.

Some have discussed the Big 12 contacting Arizona, Arizona State and Nebraska. These are solid schools that would bring stability and revenue.

With the Arizona schools, the Big 12 reaches a fertile recruiting ground and new, large markets in Phoenix and Tucson. Despite recent struggles, Nebraska offers an established football brand and would revitalize historic Big 8 rivalries.

However, there is no guarantee these three would leave their current conferences, all of which are more stable than the Big 12.

Other schools the Big 12 might consider are: BYU, Boise State, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane and UCF. Of these options, the Big 12 must evaluate who would bring the best brands, the most revenue, and reach the best markets.

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