The best choice to better tie WVU to the conference

Good TV market in Big 10/SEC country

Of these candidates, the best football/basketball combo

Would rank in the middle of the conference

Cincy (and Louisville) should have been invited before now

Serves as an eastern extension from WVU

Sits near NYC and next to ESPN world headquarters

Would be Big 12’s second highest rated academic institution

Would be Big 12’s second highest rated academic institution

Did we mention this is ESPN’s “home” team?

Another East Coast tie-in for WVU

Philadelphia is a huge market for a new Big 12 TV deal

Temple has had its moments, but isn’t a power

Very strong ranking and an even better reputation

A cultural misfit for the conference

Well, it takes the conference eastward

Not a very significant market or draw

Doesn’t stand out in much, but decent reputation in football

Barely made the nation’s top 200 listing

Seems like a bad fit for the Big 12

This is one of the best regional fits and sits in SEC territory

Good TV market, national name in basketball

Improving football, but a pull in basketball

Don’t count on Texas letting in this awful academic institution

Opens up a prime basketball recruiting area

Adjacent state that moves the conference eastward

Good TV market but it’s still an SEC stronghold

Nothing, but at least it’s in New Orleans

Very strong and quite appealing to university presidents

Any help with football recruiting in Louisiana is a big plus

It’s Florida, but it compounds the league’s geographic issues

Putting the Big 12 on TVs in the Orlando market is a big deal

A solid athletic reputation

Would rank toward the bottom of the conference

A football recruiting toehold in the Orlando area is huge

Again, this compounds the league’s geographic issues

Putting the Big 12 on TVs in the Tampa market is smart

Good, but UCF gets a slight edge here maybe in perception only

Better than UCF but still would be near bottom of Big 12

A football recruiting toehold in the Tampa area is huge

An adjacent state is a rarity in this process

The academy has a huge national following

Solid all the way around

The highest-rated academic choice on the menu

The highest-rated academic choice on the menu

This is the strongest western choice on the table

On Denver’s fringe, but puts the Big 12 back into the market

New football stadium, decent athletics

Would land in the middle of the Big 12

A return to Colorado seems comfortable for the league

Right in the heart of the Big 12

The Big 12 is already valued in the Houston market

Very good football, but basketball doesn’t add much

Would sit at the bottom of the Big 12

Members don’t want another Big 12 Texas school recruiting Texas

Another adjacent state candidate if moving west is a choice

Decent TV market but doesn’t add much reach

A football weakling, but very good basketball reputation

Ranks below all current Big 12 members

Is anyone really clamoring to add the Lobos to the Big 12?

The Salt Lake City area doesn’t seem to help the Big 12

Big national following is BYU’s strong point

Great all-around athletic department

Very solid academic reputation

Last time, BYU asked Big 12 to change for it. Not happening

Boise is a beautiful place with an ugly geographic fit for Big 12

National reputation in football

The best football of all the choices and respectable basketball

Boise does not appear in USA Today's national rankings. *corrected

One of the few that strengthens the conference in football

It’s Vegas, which is why it’s not a zero

It’s Vegas, which is a decent market

It’s Vegas, so Big 12 teams could flourish

Uhm, it’s Vegas so why study?

Road trips to Vegas ... Duh

Going to southern California is a reach for the league

At least it brings a Big 12 presence in a new region

The Aztecs have had their moments in football, basketball

Doesn’t bring much academic strength to the table

Adding San Diego makes for long, but beautiful road trips