While most of the noise regarding Florida State and a possible move to the Big 12 has been coming out of the greater Tallahassee metroplex (see Andy Haggard), expansion rumors have been fairly quiet in Big 12 territory.
The only person in the Big 12 willing to say anything? Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds, who told Kirk Bohls of the Austin-American Statesman that Florida State is not currently on the league’s radar.“They’re a long ways away,” Dodds told me.
In distance or prospects of joining the Big 12, I asked.
“Both,” he said.
“There’s no traction” on this story, Dodds said. “There’ve been no conversations between Florida State and the Big 12.”
Keep in mind the Big 12 is split on the issue of expansion; that’s gone a bit under-reported in all this FSU drama. New commissioner Bob Bowlsby will take over officially on June 15 and one of his first priorities -- which is now likely the top priority given the latest brouhaha -- is supposed to be addressing expansion.
So even if some members of the Big 12 are interested in FSU, there’s an internal hurdle the league needs to clear before any program can be considered. Dodds says he’s a 10-team supporter, and like it or not, Texas’ opinion still carries significant weight.