Cincinnati, UCF & Houston agree to AAC exit; Big 12 expanding to 14 schools in 2023

The Big 12 is one step closer to temporarily being a 14-team league.

Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston announced they have reached an agreement with the American Athletic Conference to leave the league at the end of the 2022-23 athletic seasons on Friday, opening the door for the trio, plus independent BYU, to join the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.

The news was first reported by The Athletic’s Max Olson.

The Big 12 announced membership invitations had been extended and accepted by the four institutions on Sept. 10, 2021. That news followed last summer’s announcement from Oklahoma and Texas that they’d be leaving the league for the SEC at the end of the league’s current grant of rights in 2025.

That leaves the league, which is currently searching for a new commissioner after Bob Bowlsby announced his retirement in the spring, with 14 schools for a two-year period, unless Oklahoma and Texas are able to negotiate an early exit from the league prior to their planned departure.

Few details have emerged about the league’s plans for scheduling in any sport or other logistics, but Friday’s news guarantees those decisions will have to be made sooner rather than later.

Jared Stansbury

View articles by Jared Stansbury subscriber

Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

Follow @@JaredStansbury