College football expansion: Colorado reacts to latest Big 12 rumors
Much of the speculation around college football conference realignment and expansion this offseason has centered around Colorado and whether it will stay in the Pac-12 or entertain an offer from its old league, the Big 12, as it embarks on its own expansion plans.
Now, we have an update on that front, as Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano says that his intention is for the school to remain a member of the Pac-12 Conference going forward.
"I'm eagerly awaiting to hear what the commissioner has to say," DiStefano said in comments to The Denver Post. "But at this point, the 10 [Pac-12] schools are staying together and awaiting a message from the commissioner."
DiStefano, who acknowledged that the rumors around Colorado are a result of there not yet being a media deal for the Pac-12, added that he has not had any direct negotiations with the Big 12.
Colorado has routinely been mentioned as a possible candidate for realignment as the Pac-12 is still yet to announce a new media deal and as the Big 12 has been public about its intention to expand to new members across the country.
For their part, Colorado personnel including DiStefano and athletic director Rick George have been adamant in their present loyalty to the Pac-12, albeit with apparent caveats thrown in that would suggest that loyalty depends on the new media deal.
Colorado knows the league
Colorado was a member of the Big 12 from 1996 to 2010, with seven of those years resulting in winning seasons.
Before then, CU was a member of the Big Eight dating back to 1948, playing its best football in the late 1980s under Bill McCartney and winning the college football national championship in the 1990 season.
The school has just one winning campaign since joining the Pac-12, when the Buffaloes went 10-4 in 2016.
And now the school is in the spotlight once again after hiring Deion Sanders to lead the football program, selling out its spring game, and all its season tickets for the first time in almost 30 years.
College football expansion rumor mill up to now
Where the SEC stands on future expansion
Finebaum on Big Ten's interest in 2 schools
Big 12 updates realignment plans
Every move that happened on July 1
Update on Notre Dame's future realignment plans
Big 12 rules out 1 team for realignment
SEC would consider 2 ACC schools
Big Ten scouts up 10 teams for expansion
Big 12 teases new expansion plans
Momentum on Colorado, Big 12 reunion
Seven ACC teams looking into options
ACC responds with bold plan amid expansion rumors
Finebaum predicts major conference could collapse
(Post)
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