Big 12 expansion: Nebraska, BYU, Houston in? Oklahoma, Texas out?

Conference realignment was soooo last decade, right?

Well, it just may be that some schools miss the musical chairs chaos. A day after it was learned that the Big 12 is likely against expansion, there was a report that the conference might let Oklahoma walk out the door and that Nebraska could come crawling back. Texas apparently wants to start its own 20-teamsuper-conference as well.

Tim Montemayor, who has his ear to the ground at BYU (which wants in to the Big 12), tweeted the following on Wednesday:

“I was told today members of the Big 12 are willing to let OU walk because Nebraska has expressed serious interest in rejoining the league … Nebraska believes they would have access to significant TV money in a new Big 12 with Texas. BYU, Houston and Cincinnati would join … TV sources told me a ‘new Big 12’ would have a different name and has been the plan Texas has been working since February … Texas has expressed doubt about their fit in the Pac 12 and believe they would be able to have significant influence over a new conference.”

“I am also told Texas would like to be part of the first 20 team conference … The consistent story I am being told by multiple source is OU feels disrespected by Texas. several other members who were working with Texas to form a new conference and it turn out without OU.

“I have heard for going on a year that Nebraska enjoyed the revenue from the Big 10 but does not feel their brand has benefited or grown … Multiple people have said OU was in position to push expansion through their desire to control the process & leverage smaller members – with GOR threats and revenue proration turn turned off many members.

“The issue for Texas is revenue; if they join the Pac 12 they don’t make more than they are now [and] they don’t view the SEC or Big 10 as an option … So the only route for Texas to go is to build something different, not new, but different … I believe Nebraska wants to return to the Big 12 because multiple sources from different businesses hv said they are exploring it and Texas and Nebraska are not the enemies people made them out to be.”

ESPN’s Mitch Sherman wrote about Nebraska likely missing the Big 12 in July.