Big Ten amendment could prevent Big 12 championship game proposal
The Big 12 may be prevented from having a conference championship game next season due to an amendment filed by the Big Ten in November, reports ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich.
The Big 12 made a formal proposal earlier this year asking the NCAA to loosen restrictions on conference championship games. The Big Ten filed an amendment to the proposal, worried about unintended consequences from allowing even more diverse scheduling.
Currently, the Big 12 is prevented from hosting a championship game because it does not have 12 teams. The proposal, which the Big 12 expected to pass, would allow the conference to host a game.
“We're trying to work our way through it, but I'm less certain of the outcome than I was before,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told ESPN.com. “We don't think we ought to be forced into adding schools in order to have a championship game, but it could end up that way.”
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While Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany does not want the Big 12 to expand, his conference does believe a championship game should be a matchup between division winners. Bowlsby said he does not believe divisions should be a requirement.
The Big 12 was shut out of the first College Football Playoff. Oklahoma will represent the conference this year.