Academics will be a component in the B12 decision-making process. I read in The Oklahoman that 7 of the 10 current members are classified as Carnegie I Research Institutions (IA St, KS, KS St, OK, TX, TX Tech & WV). Every P5 conference has a majority of its membership classified as such, with the B12 just reaching that level of accomplishment just this year, as 3 schools advanced. They want to keep it that way.
That said, here are the probable expansion candidates with Carnegie I ratings: UC, CO St, UCF, UConn, UH, USF & Tulane. (I still refuse to believe that the Green Wave would be serious contenders, especially in view of the fact that most of the viable candidates fit academically.) Note that Boise St, BYU, ECU and Memphis are not so categorized. That's not to say that the B12 wouldn't add such an institution, but, it seems unlikely that they would add more than one.
That said, here are the probable expansion candidates with Carnegie I ratings: UC, CO St, UCF, UConn, UH, USF & Tulane. (I still refuse to believe that the Green Wave would be serious contenders, especially in view of the fact that most of the viable candidates fit academically.) Note that Boise St, BYU, ECU and Memphis are not so categorized. That's not to say that the B12 wouldn't add such an institution, but, it seems unlikely that they would add more than one.
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