Brett Yormark, the Big 12 commissioner, expressed his confidence in the conference's position as one of the top three in the nation amidst significant changes in college athletics. Yormark emphasized the league's increased relevance, citing its expansion to 10 states across four time zones, making it a national conference. Despite the departure of past national champions Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC, Yormark highlighted the addition of Four Corners schools from the Pac 12 - Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah - as the Big 12 transitions to a 16-team league.
Yormark projected that the Big 12 would become the deepest football conference in the country, emphasizing the competitiveness and star power within the league. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, Yormark noted the collaboration between the SEC and Big Ten in proposing multiple automatic bids for their conferences.
