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Big 12 Football: Ranking the teams that applied to join conference

By Dante Pryor

Oct 23, 2019; Kansas City, KS, USA; Team logos on display at the entrance to the interview floor during the Big 12 basketball media day at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2019; Kansas City, KS, USA; Team logos on display at the entrance to the interview floor during the Big 12 basketball media day at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 24, 2020; Frisco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) passes the ball against Hawaii Warriors during the second half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Flores-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2020; Frisco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) passes the ball against Hawaii Warriors during the second half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Flores-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Houston Cougars

If this were 2011 or 2015, the Houston Cougars might be tops on this list. The Cougars arrived on the scene in 2011, losing just once with wins against UCLA and Penn State in their bowl game. 2015 included wins against Louisville and Florida State and finishing the season ranked eighth in the country.

However, being fourth on this list is no shade on the Cougars. Houston gives the Big 12 a presence in the largest city in Texas and replaces the University of Texas as the conferences’ big-city school. One of the reasons the university and billionaire booster Tilman Fertitta has led the charge to upgrade facilities and hire Dana Holgorsen as head coach was to get to this moment.

An increase in revenue would increase the recruiting budget and ensure a larger amount of the talent in the Houston-metro area stays home and goes to the university. Just like the Longhorns could sell Austin, the Cougars can also sell Houston to recruits.

With Texas A&M opening the state to the SEC and Texas and Oklahoma leaving (Oklahoma recruits Texas as well as anyone), Houston becomes the crown jewel Texas school because of its location. Having a school the talent-rich state’s largest market is a key to the Big 12’s recruiting vitality.

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