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Big 12 Expansion: Ranking the possible schools to be added

By Hunter Kinniburgh

Jul 18, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 18, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 14, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Memphis Tigers wide receiver Tevin Jones (87) celebrates with quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. The Cougars won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Memphis Tigers wide receiver Tevin Jones (87) celebrates with quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. The Cougars won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

5. University of Memphis 

The Pros: 

Memphis football, for the most part, has struggled in the last five years. 2014 and 2015 were the exceptions. Memphis won a combined 19 games, including a win over Ole Miss, in the last two years under Head Coach Justin Fuente.

Fuente is now at Virginia Tech. New head coach Mike Norvell will take over the program and time will tell how the transition from Fuente to Norvell will go. The biggest thing Memphis has going for it to join the Big 12 is a company called FedEx, you may have heard of it.

FedEx has promised to sponsor the Big 12 Championship Game if Memphis is added to conference (FedEx is based in Memphis) and is prepared to throw all kinds of money at the conference in the form of sponsorship deals. Memphis also has a proud men’s basketball program that could pair well with the likes of Kansas.

The Cons: 

Memphis, as a football program, has never been the most stable of programs. The university itself sits in a good recruiting area but is always poached by the likes of Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee.

The basketball program, which once sat on top of the world has seen a drop off in production the last couple years. Lastly, while the Memphis TV market is big, there are larger markets that the Big 12 could deem more valuable than that of Memphis. If Memphis was proven to be more of a consistent winner they would probably have a better shot; but who knows, money talks.

Next: No. 4 Boise State

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