2010–13 Big 12 Conference realignment

The 2010–13 Big 12 Conference realignment refers to the Big 12 Conference (Big 12) dealing with several proposed and actual conference expansion and reduction plans among various NCAA conferences and institutions. Part of the larger NCAA conference realignment, beginning in the 2010-11 academic year and continuing to the present, the Big 12 was one of the more severely impacted conferences. In all four schools have departed (Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M) and two have joined (West Virginia, TCU)

Nebraska announced that it would leave the Big 12 Conference for the Big Ten Conference effective in 2011.

Colorado also announced a change in conference alignment; originally planning to transfer to the Pac-10 for the 2012-13 season, the school agreed to depart a year early after Nebraska announced its plans to depart the conference in 2011.

With the loss of Colorado (who had been a member of the Big 12 and its predecessor the Big Eight Conference since 1947) to the Pac-10 and Nebraska (whose association with the Big 12 dates back to the 1907 founding of what was to become the Big Eight) to the Big Ten, the Big 12 was reduced to ten teams and faced more possible attrition.

Other Big 12 schools were rumored to be candidates for expansion by other conferences, including further expansion by the Pac-10 or Big Ten. Speculation and rumors centered on Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State following Colorado to the Pac-10. Texas A&M was also considered as a PAC-10 candidate but was also reportedly considering a move to the SEC.

ESPN reported on June 11 that Texas, Texas Tech, and the two Oklahoma schools were prepared to accept an invitation from the Pac-10. The report also indicated that Texas A&M was torn between the Pac-10 and SEC and was given a 72-hour deadline to decide on its future destination. Meanwhile, Baylor announced that it would wait and see what the final outcome of the Big 12's realignment would be before making any final decision concerning where they would go if the Big 12 dissolved. On June 14, ESPN, citing sources within the Big 12, initially reported that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State would join the Pac-10 no later than June 15, while Texas A&M was now most likely to opt for the SEC. The remaining Big 12 schools Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri may have been left to find new leagues, with early speculation pointing to a possible move for some of those schools to the Mountain West or Big East conferences. Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self stated, on the day that Texas Christian announced its entry into the Big East, that had the Big 12 collapsed the Big East would have offered membership to Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Missouri.

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