The replacements have already been put on notice. The rumors are definitely out there as to which teams the Big 12 would be interested in if the conference were to survive the current bout with exits and entrances. Brigham Young, West Virginia, TCU and SMU have all been mentioned as new possibilities for Big 12 Conference play in a couple of seasons. That said, it might not matter if Missouri isn’t sticking around.
That’s what makes it tough for a team like the BYU Cougars, who certainly would be less interested in a Big 12 conference without the Tigers. Mizzou has a solid basketball and football program, and they’ve experienced success against even the teams atop the Big 12 standings in recent seasons (i.e. Mizzou’s toppling of the No. 1 Sooners in football last year). While the Big 12 has already lost teams like Nebraska and Texas A&M, there’s enough firepower left in both basketball and football to warrant the desire of other teams to join.
Yet Missouri also has to think about its own interests and it’s hard to ignore the current power and draw of the SEC when it comes to the largest money pool in all of college athletics. The SEC rules contemporary college football and Missouri could become a part of that pie. That’s hard to ignore and is likely the reason that Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton gave the okay to explore new options.
For now that means the Cougars of BYU or the Cardinals of Louisville are going to have to sit and wait if they are still interested in the Big 12. Missouri is in the driver’s seat and other teams are feeling the frustration as well.