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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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Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) runs the ball in the second quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. The Bearcats retained the Victory Bell trophy for the 14th consecutive year with a 35-13 win.Miami Oh Redhawks At Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) runs the ball in the second quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. The Bearcats retained the Victory Bell trophy for the 14th consecutive year with a 35-13 win.Miami Oh Redhawks At Cincinnati Bearcats /

2. Cincinnati Bearcats

The Cincinnati Bearcats are the hottest team the Big 12 invited. The Bearcats are coming off arguably their most successful season in school history, going undefeated in the regular season and playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl for only the second time in school history.

The Bearcats give the Big 12 a presence in another talent-rich state, Ohio. In addition, the Bearcats give West Virginia a rival school closer than any other school invited with Cincinnati about a four-and-a-half-hour drive to Morgantown.

Cincinnati would not be able to join potentially until 2023 since they must give the AAC at least a 27-month notice and a $10 million exit fee. Though the Bearcats have been a fixture in the AAC for the past 9 seasons, they have a vagabond-like past.

After being an independent for 25 seasons, the Bearcats joined three conferences (CUSA, Big East, AAC) over the next 25 years. After moving to Division-1, Cincinnati joined the MAC and MVC. The most important reason for the Bearcats joining the Big 12 is financial.

Though the AAC has an $83 million television deal, joining the Big 12 would increase Cincinnati’s revenue by nearly $30 million. That is important considering the Bearcats’ athletic program is operating in the red. This looks like a mutually beneficial relationship.

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