Editing Big 12 Conference (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of the Big 12 Conference}}
{{See also|2010–2013 Big 12 Conference realignment}}

The Big 12 Conference was founded in February 1994. All eight members of the former [[Big Eight Conference]] joined with half the members of the former [[Southwest Conference]] ([[University of Texas at Austin|Texas]], [[Texas A&M University|Texas A&M]], [[Baylor University|Baylor]] and [[Texas Tech University|Texas Tech]]) to form the conference, with play beginning in 1996.<ref name="si.com"/>

The Big 12 does not claim the Big Eight's history as its own, even though it was essentially the Big Eight plus four of the Texas universities.

The Big 12 began athletic play in fall 1996, with the Texas Tech vs. Kansas State football game being the first-ever sports event staged by the conference.

From its formation until 2011, its 12 members competed in two divisions in most sports. The two Oklahoma universities and the four Texas universities formed the South Division, while the other six universities of the former Big Eight formed the North Division.

Between 2011 and 2012 four charter members left the conference:
* [[University of Colorado Boulder|Colorado]]
* [[University of Missouri|Missouri]]
* [[University of Nebraska|Nebraska]]
* [[Texas A&M University|Texas A&M]]

In 2012, two universities joined the conference:
* [[Texas Christian University|TCU]]
* [[University of West Virginia|West Virginia]]

On July 26, 2021, [[University of Oklahoma|Oklahoma]] and [[University of Texas at Austin|Texas]] notified the Big 12 Conference that the two universities did not wish to extend their grant of television rights beyond the 2024–25 athletic year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kvue.com/article/sports/ncaa/longhorns/ut-big12-austin-sec-letter/269-14947b34-ec4c-48a4-b2d8-2f48c74c7153|first=Paul|last=Livengood|title=Texas sends critical letter to Big 12, showing intent to leave for SEC|work=KVUE|date=July 26, 2021|access-date=July 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2021/07/26/big-12-texas-oklahoma-leaving-conference-football/8070337002/|first=Paul|last=Myerberg|title=Texas, Oklahoma leaving Big 12 Conference as college football shake-up begins|work=USA Today|date=July 26, 2021|access-date=July 26, 2021}}</ref> On July 27, 2021, Oklahoma and Texas sent a joint letter to the [[Southeastern Conference]] requesting an invitation for membership beginning July 1, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31897367/oklahoma-sooners-texas-longhorns-formally-notify-sec-membership-request|first=Heather|last=Dinich|title=Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns formally notify SEC of membership request for 2025|work=ESPN|date=July 27, 2021|access-date=July 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/college/big-12-texas-ou-officially-request-sec-membership-2025-season/287-74b6d9a3-b113-49b4-9747-88c07fbcb7b2|first=Ryan|last=Osborne|title=Texas, OU officially request SEC membership for 2025 season|work=WFAA|date=July 27, 2021|access-date=July 27, 2021}}</ref> On July 29, 2021, the 14 presidents and chancellors of SEC member universities voted unanimously to invite Oklahoma and Texas to join the SEC.<ref name= Dinich>Dinich, Heather (July 29, 2021). "[https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31913980/sec-unanimously-votes-invite-texas-oklahoma-join-conference SEC unanimously votes to invite Texas, Oklahoma to join conference]". ''ESPN''.</ref> The following day, the Texas Board of Regents and Oklahoma Board of Regents each accepted the invitation to join the SEC from July 1, 2025.<ref name=UTOUaccept>{{cite web|last1=Cobb|first1=David|last2=Dodd|first2=Dennis|date=July 30, 2021|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-oklahoma-join-sec-longhorns-sooners-accept-invitations-as-big-12-powers-begin-new-wave-of-realignment/|title=Texas, Oklahoma join SEC: Longhorns, Sooners accept invitations as Big 12 powers begin new wave of realignment|work=CBS Sports}}</ref>

On September 10, 2021, the Big 12 announced that invitations had been extended to and accepted by [[Brigham Young University|BYU]] (a [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|football independent]] and member of the non-football [[West Coast Conference]]) and three members of the [[American Athletic Conference]] in [[University of Cincinnati|Cincinnati]], [[University of Central Florida|UCF]], and [[University of Houston|Houston]]. These moves, combined with the impending departure of Oklahoma and Texas, would once again increase the Big 12's membership to twelve schools.<ref name="invitation">{{cite press release|url=https://big12sports.com/news/2021/9/10/conference-big-12-extends-membership-invitations.aspx|title=Big 12 Extends Membership Invitations|publisher=Big 12 Conference|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2021}}</ref> All four schools began competing in Big 12 athletics beginning in summer of 2023. BYU had initially announced that it would join in 2023,<ref name="byujoins">{{cite web|url=https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/1297568/byu-join-big-12-conference|title=BYU to Join Big 12 Conference|publisher=BYU Cougars|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=September 20, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910141415/https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/1297568/byu-join-big-12-conference|archive-date=2021-09-10}}</ref> and Houston indicated it could do so as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uhcougars.com/news/2021/9/9/general-university-of-houston-accepts-invitation-to-join-big-12-conference.aspx|title=University of Houston Accepts Invitation to Join Big 12 Conference|publisher=University of Houston|date=September 9, 2021|access-date=September 20, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910144142/https://uhcougars.com/news/2021/9/9/general-university-of-houston-accepts-invitation-to-join-big-12-conference.aspx|archive-date=2021-09-10}}</ref> On June 10, 2022, The American and its three departing members announced a buyout agreement that allowed those schools to join the Big 12 in 2023.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://theamerican.org/news/2022/6/10/general-american-announces-agreements-with-ucf-cincinnati-and-houston-on-departure.aspx|title=American Announces Agreements With UCF, Cincinnati and Houston on Departure|publisher=American Athletic Conference|date=June 10, 2022|access-date=June 10, 2022}}</ref>

On February 9, 2023, Oklahoma and Texas announced they had reached a settlement with the conference that allowed them to join the SEC on July 1, 2024.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://big12sports.com/news/2023/2/9/conference-big-12-announces-agreement-for-withdrawal-of-oklahoma-and-texas.aspx|title=Big 12 Announces Agreement for Withdrawal of Oklahoma and Texas|publisher=Big 12 Conference|date=February 9, 2023|access-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref>

On July 27, 2023, [[University of Colorado Boulder|Colorado]], a former member of the Big 12, announced it would rejoin the conference from the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]] beginning in the 2024–25 academic year. The following week, [[University of Arizona|Arizona]], [[Arizona State University|Arizona State]], and [[University of Utah|Utah]] announced they would leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12, also effective for the 2024–25 academic year.