Rumors are rampant about BYU being one of the candidates to replace Texas A&M as the 10th member of the Big 12 conference. A&M informed the Big 12 on Wednesday that they would be joining another conference, in all certainty the SEC.
BYU released the following statement: “There is much speculation right now regarding conference affiliation that seems to change by the hour. Commenting on such conjecture is not productive and creates a distraction for our program. As we enter the 2011-12 athletic season, BYU is focused on the opportunities ahead. We are excited about our relationship with ESPN as a football independent and our affiliation with the West Coast Conference.”
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HOUSTON (AP) Houston athletics director Mack Rhoades would not say if he has been in contact with the Big 12 in the wake of Texas A&M’s plans to leave the league. Houston began competing in Conference USA in 1996. Last summer, two Houston-based lawmakers wrote a letter asking Big 12 officials to consider adding Houston after Colorado and Nebraska announced they were leaving. Texas A&M said Wednesday it plans to leave by July. Rhoades said he’s focused on improving Houston’s athletics program. He thinks A&M’s exit will prompt more realignment, but he wouldn’t speculate on how it may affect the Cougars.
