Big 12 expansion rumors have, for years, simmered around Cincinnati and UConn. But another AAC school is prepared to throw its hat into the ring, according to a report by ESPN’s Jake Trotter.
University of Central Florida president John Hitt pitched his Orlando-based school as being an ideal fit for an expanding Big 12 last month in a letter to Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis. The letter also included a report the university commissioned that compared itself and the city of Orlando, Fla., favorably to Cincinnati and UConn.
Check out Trotter’s story for the details of the report and pitch.
Worth noting is that UCF is a huge school -- its official website says its enrollment is 63,000, making it the second-largest university in the United States -- and it could expand its stadium from seating 45,000 to 65,000 if it joined the Big 12. Orlando could be an enticing market for the Big 12 to enter, and competitively, UCF has had recent success, winning the Fiesta Bowl two years ago (of course, the Knights went 0-12 in 2015, which probably wasn’t included in that report).
Big 12 coaches would probably be jazzed about UCF opening up some new recruiting territory in the talent-rich state of Florida, too.
The Big 12 could vote on whether or not to expand as early as this summer.