Bob Bowlsby
FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, The Red River Showdown logo is displayed on the field of the Cotton Bowl, prior to an NCAA college football game between the University of Texas and Oklahoma, in Dallas. Texas and Oklahoma made a request Tuesday, July 27, 2021, to join the Southeastern Conference — in 2025 —- with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey saying the league would consider it in the “near future.” (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
SEC welcomes Texas, Oklahoma after boards accept invitations

By Paul Weber Jul. 30, 2021 11:08 AM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, The Red River Showdown logo is displayed on the field of the Cotton Bowl, prior to an NCAA college football game between the University of Texas and Oklahoma, in Dallas. Texas and Oklahoma made a request Tuesday, July 27, 2021, to join the Southeastern Conference — in 2025 —- with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey saying the league would consider it in the “near future.” (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
SEC invites Oklahoma and Texas to join conference — in 2025

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 29, 2021 04:10 PM EDT

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is shown on the giant screen as he speaks during NCAA college football Big 12 media days Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Big 12 accuses ESPN of trying to 'destabilize' conference

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 28, 2021 07:07 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, The Red River Showdown logo is displayed on the field of the Cotton Bowl, prior to an NCAA college football game between the University of Texas and Oklahoma, in Dallas. Texas and Oklahoma made a request Tuesday, July 27, 2021, to join the Southeastern Conference — in 2025 —- with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey saying the league would consider it in the “near future.” (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
Big 12's Texas, Oklahoma make request to join powerhouse SEC

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 27, 2021 10:53 AM EDT

Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley speaks from the stage with mannequins in the back ground during NCAA college football Big 12 media days Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
With eye on SEC, Oklahoma, Texas move toward leaving Big 12

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 26, 2021 10:45 AM EDT

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Friday, July 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
SEC takeover: Expansion would just mean more power, wealth

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 25, 2021 03:55 PM EDT

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian walks on stage behind mannequins wearing Texas and Oklahoma uniforms during the NCAA college football Big 12 media days Thursday, July 15, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
AP source: Big 12 leaders discuss how to keep Texas and OU

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 22, 2021 05:37 PM EDT

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian speaks during the NCAA college football Big 12 media days Thursday, July 15, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
AP source: Texas, Oklahoma talk to SEC about joining league

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 21, 2021 06:59 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 4, 2019, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert answers questions during a news conference at the Final Four college basketball tournament in Minneapolis. The NCAA Board of Directors is expected to greenlight one of the biggest changes in the history of college athletics when it clears the way for athletes to start earning money based on their fame and celebrity without fear of endangering their eligibility or putting their school in jeopardy of violating amateurism rules that have stood for decades.(AP Photo/Matt York, File)
NCAA's Emmert: It is time to decentralize college sports

By Ralph D. Russo Jul. 15, 2021 07:49 PM EDT

Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley speaks from the stage with mannequins in the back ground during NCAA college football Big 12 media days Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Big 12's Bowlsby: 'Very short-sighted' to go unvaccinated

By Stephen Hawkins Jul. 14, 2021 06:59 PM EDT

TCU head football coach Gary Patterson speaks during NCAA college football Big 12 media days Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Never left out again: Big 12 coaches like 12-team playoff

By Stephen Hawkins Jul. 14, 2021 05:13 PM EDT

Clemson University President Jim Clements listens to a reporters question after the College Football Playoff presidents group meeting Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Grapevine, Texas. The CFP met to discuss a proposed plan to expand the postseason format from four to 12 teams. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
College Football Playoff presidents OK expansion evaluation

By Stephen Hawkins Jun. 22, 2021 03:29 PM EDT

FILE - Alabama's Ronnie Harrison (15) breaks up a pass intended for Clemson's Artavis Scott during the second half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game in Glendale, Ariz., in this Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, file photo. The College Football Playoff would expand from four to 12 teams, with six spots reserved for the highest ranked conference champions, under a proposal that will be considered next week by the league commissioners who manage the postseason system, a person familiar with announcement told The Associated Press on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the CFP has not yet released details. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Commissioners dig into CFP expansion; Pac-12 pushes autobids

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 18, 2021 12:52 PM EDT

FILE - College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock gestures as he speaks during a news conference before an NCAA college football game between Miami and North Carolina in Miami Gardens, Fla., in this Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, file photo. The CFP would expand from four to 12 teams, with six spots reserved for the highest ranked conference champions, under a proposal that will be considered next week by the league commissioners who manage the postseason system, a person familiar with announcement told The Associated Press on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the CFP has not yet released details. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
12-team CFP: Why can't Irish earn a bye and other questions

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 11, 2021 02:23 AM EDT

FILE - Alabama's Ronnie Harrison (15) breaks up a pass intended for Clemson's Artavis Scott during the second half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game in Glendale, Ariz., in this Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, file photo. The College Football Playoff would expand from four to 12 teams, with six spots reserved for the highest ranked conference champions, under a proposal that will be considered next week by the league commissioners who manage the postseason system, a person familiar with announcement told The Associated Press on Thursday, June 10, 2021. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the CFP has not yet released details. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
College Football Playoff considering expansion to 12 teams

By Ralph D. Russo Jun. 10, 2021 02:26 PM EDT

FILE - In this Monday, April 5, 2021 file photo, Baylor guard Mark Vital (11) blocks a shot by Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert during the second half of the championship game in the men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Big 12 Conference is distributing about $345 million of revenue to its 10 schools, the second year in a row the number has been lower because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at the end of two days of league board meetings held virtually, that the overall revenue was about $50 million short of what had been expected before COVID-19. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Big 12 revenue lower again in pandemic at $34.5M per school

By Stephen Hawkins May. 25, 2021 07:13 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2019, file photo, the Pac-12 logo is displayed on the field at Sun Devil Stadium during an NCAA college football game between Arizona State and Kent State in Tempe, Ariz. The Pac-12 hired sports entertainment executive George Kliavkoff to be the conference's next commissioner on Thursday, May 13, 2021, replacing Larry Scott with a person with a similar resume short on college sports experience. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso, File)
New Pac-12 commissioner enters CFP talks as agent for change

By Ralph D. Russo May. 14, 2021 01:23 AM EDT

Coastal Carolina wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh (6) and teammate Will McDonald (66) celebrate Heiligh's touchdown against Troy during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Troy, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Successful season? College football played 500-plus games

By Ralph D. Russo Dec. 18, 2020 05:45 PM EST

Iowa State running back Breece Hall runs the ball against West Virginia during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
No. 8 Iowa St vs. perennial champ Oklahoma for Big 12 title

By Stephen Hawkins Dec. 17, 2020 05:44 PM EST

Cincinnati tight end Leonard Taylor (11) runs to the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown off a pass play against Central Florida during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Takeaways: Playing through pandemic predictably frustrating

By Ralph D. Russo Nov. 21, 2020 10:08 PM EST