Twitter reacts to Big 12 Conference nonexpansion

Published: Oct 17, 2016, 6:30 p.m. MDT

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, right, and Oklahoma President David Boren speak to reporters after The Big 12 Conference meeting in Grapevine, Texas, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. The Big 12 Conference has decided against expansion from its current 10 schools after three months of analyzing, vetting and interviewing possible new members. (AP Photo/LM Otero) LM Otero, AP

Seemingly once and for all, the Big 12 Conference on Monday announced it will not expand, opting to remain a 10-institution conference.

With BYU having lobbied to join the conference, there was plenty of strong reaction on Twitter from locals as the news unfolded.

BYU fans

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Predictably, there was a sense of frustration on the part of Cougar fans that the school was not added to the conference.

Scrolling through Twitter last night vs scrolling through Twitter now pic.twitter.com/E38DCjsEED
— Robby McCombs (@rtmccombs) October 17, 2016

What I'm actually doing: pic.twitter.com/6ClHpKtREv
— Ash (@smashmouth22) October 17, 2016

The Big 12 is such a joke. https://t.co/L318gbU2rB
— Ryan Reynolds (@ryfish65) October 17, 2016

omg Idk why I'm watching this dang press conference because it's just MAKING ME MAD
— mary (@marydblanchard) October 17, 2016

https://twitter.com/sweetie_sitake/status/788154454918836226 https://twitter.com/jamesthemormon/status/788117822828187648

The BIG12 is about as forthright as Olive Garden is authentic italian food....
— Benjamin Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) October 17, 2016

Utah fans

Perhaps just as predictably, University of Utah fans chimed in on the matter.

https://twitter.com/LightUpTheU/status/788110824833331200

And there was wailing and gnashing of teeth in Provo. https://t.co/RtXETWwRqK
— The U Fan Cast (@TheUFanCast) October 17, 2016

https://twitter.com/NEZUofU/status/788133305149296640 https://twitter.com/pmarti9/status/788147392675614720

Jokes aside.. I'm sorry for all my byu friends. It's got to be frustrating dealing with the joke that is the Big 12 conference.
— Steve Bartle (@SBartle247) October 17, 2016

Donald Trump and other jokes

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With the presidential election just over three weeks away, some Twitter users managed to weave references to Republican nominee Donald Trump into the conversation.

Big 12 is the GOP. Formerly-powerful group that used to be exciting to discuss awaiting a slow burn to its inevitable end. Texas is Trump.
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) October 17, 2016

Donald Trump's reaction to this Big 12 press conference: It's just words.
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) October 17, 2016

The Big 12's drawn-out decision to ultimately not expand was the subject of all sorts of jokes.

A sampling:

Republicans & Democrats: "I bet there isn't an organization in America more dysfunctional than our parties!"

The Big 12 Conference: lol hi.
— Tyler Dreiling (@TylerDreiling) October 17, 2016

pic.twitter.com/1Fyz8AtR06
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 17, 2016

Did the Big 12 Expand? pic.twitter.com/qA670ieJlB
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 17, 2016

In addition to announcing non-expansion, the Big 12 has announced the name of the conference will be changed to the 'Temporary Ten'
— Zak (@zakhicken) October 17, 2016

David Boren saying the Big 12 expansion candidates didn't waste their time pic.twitter.com/CsxPdZ62Lr
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) October 17, 2016

Ryan McDonald is a sports reporter at DeseretNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanwmcdonald.

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