Big 12 Basketball: Examining 9 potential candidates for expansion
By Joey Loose
Boise State
If the Big 12 was looking at expansion, even if they lose a few more members, then Boise State is a fantastic direction. The Broncos have had one of the best G5 football programs since the turn of the century and would immediately be competitive for Big 12 titles.
From the basketball side of things, the Broncos have actually finished in the top 5 of the competitive Mountain West in seven of the last eight seasons. Idaho might not seem like the best direction to expand in, but geography won’t play the biggest role for a conference that already has West Virginia.
Obviously, it’s a step up from the Mountain West to the Big 12. The same move was made by a dominant football program in TCU and their program has taken a slight step backward as was expected. From a basketball perspective, Boise State would certainly be more challenged in the tough Big 12, especially with its current members still in place. They’ve actually struggled for the most part even against some of the other teams on this list.
That being said, Boise State is one of the premier programs that the Big 12 could add, and they would certainly help fill the massive football hole left by Oklahoma and Texas bidding adieu.