That Time the Big 12 was Almost a Superconference - in 1996

"Superconferences." It's a buzzword thrown around by college sports writers following conference realignment as schools cluster together in groups way above ten or twelve. The Big 10 and ACC are set to have 18, the SEC and Big 12 will have 16---even non-power conferences like the Sun Belt are going far beyond 12 teams. The 1999 WAC could never!

But this seems to be a modern trend more than a throwback to the old Southern Conference of the 30s. Consolidation of (largely football) brands under an umbrella of colleges seems to be the path to move forward, and 16 teams seems to be the cutoff. But it's not the first time a conference considered going supermassive. There once was a time when, if we are to believe an article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the Big 12 heavily considered skipping 12 members entirely and going for the Big 16 way back in 1994 to start play in 1996.

Come with me as I recount this silly story and read way too deeply into it.

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