BYU football coach Kalani Sitake is congratulated at a press conference announcing that BYU has accepted an invitation to the Big 12 Conference.
BYU football coach Kalani Sitake is congratulated at a press conference announcing that BYU has accepted an invitation to the Big 12 Conference at BYU in Provo on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. BYU will play all sports provided by the Big 12 except for equestrian, rowing and wrestling. Men’s volleyball will continue to play in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, as the Big 12 does not offer the sport. Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Brandon Judd
By Brandon Judd

BYU to the Big 12: it was a long time coming, but Friday’s announcement made the move official.

The Provo school will join the Power Five conference for the 2023-24 athletic season, setting a new era in sports for the Cougars, and the news had the college athletics world buzzing.

National experts, as well as those closer to Utah, weighed in on what the move to the Big 12 Conference will mean for BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF.

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It’s official: BYU is Big 12 bound
Historic Big 12 invite, manna for basketball program and praise for BYU’s Worthen and Holmoe

What it means for BYU and the other Big 12 additions

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel

The Athletic’s Max Olson

Texas Tech president and Big 12 board chair Lawrence Schovanec

Credit for BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg

The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach

What it means for BYU football

Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy

Former BYU athletic director Val Hale

CBS Sports

ESPN’s Bill Connelly

The Athletic’s Max Olson wrote that the four schools each bring a strong football brand to the Big 12: “All four schools can help bolster the Big 12’s Power 5 reputation in football. Cincinnati is currently No. 7 in the AP poll and finished No. 8 last season after winning 11 games and playing in the Peach Bowl. BYU also won 11 games last year and ranked 11th in the final AP poll. UCF has played in three New Year’s Six/BCS bowl games since 2013. Houston won the AAC and the Peach Bowl in 2015 and has won at least eight games 10 times since 2006.”

The Mercury News’ Jon Wilner wrote about how BYU football’s move from independence to the Big 12 could impact Pac-12 scheduling: “Essentially, the Pac-12 has reaped the benefits of having BYU in the conference without having BYU in the conference. The relationship is now in jeopardy. As a member of the Big 12, the Cougars will have fewer openings and less need to stock their schedule with Pac-12 opponents.”

Is basketball the biggest benefactor of the move?

NCAA.com’s Andy Katz

Stadium’s Jeff Goodman

CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein

The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker

Oklahoma State basketball coach Mike Boynton

Reactions from Big 12 territory

Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades

Baylor president Linda Livingstone

Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg

Kansas State athletics

Texas Tech athletics

TCU athletics

Big 12 Conference

Reactions from around Utah

CEO of Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, former Utah Jazz president Steve Starks

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Former BYU basketball player Tyler Haws

BYU basketball player Trevin Knell

BYU football player Jaylon Vickers

A nod to BYU’s fan base

Former BYU linebacker Brady Poppinga

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