ISU President: Annually reseeding Big 12 divisions a possibility

AMES — Big 12 expansion remains an open topic, and the upcoming divisional structure offers plenty of intriguing scenarios, Iowa State President Steven Leath said Thursday.

Only days after Big 12 officials approved a football championship game beginning in 2017, expansion remains a front-burner topic for the embattled, yet battle-hardened, 10-team conference.

'I don't feel compelled to expand away from the 10-team format,' Leath told reporters at the state Board of Regents meeting. 'We're getting $30 million a year revenue distribution with a round-robin (schedule). But if the right school showed up, I'd be receptive.'

So then the question is, what constitutes the right school or schools? That depends, Leath said.

'I think they have to compete at a high level, but it's not to me just about performance in athletics,' he said. 'It's got to be the kind of school that adds value to the league. An academically successful school playing by the rules that gives everyone the right impression that this is a first-class league going forward.'

Athletic and academic prowess are factors, as is geography. There's no specific timetable. League member West Virginia requiring a travel partner 'is less of an issue than some people perceive.' Potential candidate BYU avoiding Sunday competitions is 'certainly a topic of discussion.'

'But we'd have to figure out how significant that is,' Leath said.

When asked if the Big 12 would remain at 10 teams by the time the league's media rights contracts expire after the 2024-25 school year, Leath said, 'I would be surprised.'

'We're looking into the future and there's a lot going on,' he added. 'But a lot could potentially change when these grants of rights expire and some conferences shift and TV contracts shift. That's what we're trying to figure through right now. It's kind of a dynamic time.'

The Big 12's divisional football structure offers plenty of possibilities. The teams will continue to play a nine-game round-robin schedule. Rivalry preservation will play a role, and geography will figure into the discussion. But the league also could alter divisions and schedules annually.

'Should it be a semi-permanent — nothing's ever permanent — or should it be reseeded every year?' Leath asked. 'The idea of reseeding ever year is particularly intriguing because it differentiates us as a league and keeps the league really vibrant, exciting, fresh. If we do that, other leagues will say, 'Wow that's a really neat idea.' We'll see where the other ADs come down, but that's certainly creating a buzz right now.'

The NCAA previously required football conferences to have at least 12 members and two divisions in order to play a championship game. That was deregulated in January, and leagues can operate a title game provided it plays a full round-robin schedule or a round-robin within a divisional format.

The last Big 12 championship game was conducted in 2010 when it was a true 12-team league. Since then Nebraska (Big Ten), Missouri (SEC), Texas A&M (SEC) and Colorado (Pac-12) have left for other conferences. The Big 12 expanded for the 2012 season by adding West Virginia and TCU. The holdover schools remain Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor.

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