Big 12 expansion reportedly ‘dead”, per Oklahoma AD

Big 12 administrators will meet again on July 19, and Big 12 expansion is set to be on the agenda. But BYU fans, or anybody else hoping that the Big 12 will finally expand will be left disapointed, according to a new report from CBS.

Per Dennis Dodd, two sources confirmed to CBS that the Big 12 will not be expanding now. One of those sources just so happens to be Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione. From the article:

Joe Castiglione told CBS Sports the concept of the league growing beyond 10 teams has ended "for the time being."

"There aren't any signs that we'll talk anymore about expansion for a little while," Castiglione added. "We don't have a timeline on it."

Dodd quoted a second, anonymous source, adding that expansion was “dead regarding "those teams,” which would presumably mean BYU, along with other schools typically listed along with the Cougars, like Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, and Colorado State.

A quote from an Oklahoma athletic official, on the record, is particularly noteworthy, given that the loudest drum for Big 12 expansion came from Oklahoma. Without the enthusiastic support from leadership in that particular institution, it’s impossible to see how expansion could occur.

It may not be over until it’s officially over, but this certainly appears to be very bad news for BYU fans hoping for a stable power conference home in the near future. Whether the Big 12 is killing expansion talks until their next TV contract, or whether they’ll be willing to address them again in another offseason isn’t clear for now, but if they couldn’t be convinced to expand now, it’s difficult to see them deciding to do so soon.

We’ll have more on this story as it develops.