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A small sliver of positive news dropped on Tuesday, as the PAC-12 kicked off its media days in the midst of a conference realignment hurricane.
With Texas and Oklahoma requesting entrance into the SEC, there have been dozens of speculations about where TCU and the rest of the Big 12 schools will end up. The consensus at this point seems to point TCU in the direction of the PAC-12, but a school having interest in a conference doesn’t necessarily mean that the feeling is mutual.
We got one step of the way toward mutual interest on Tuesday, as PAC-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff said that expansion is on the table for the conference.
George Kliavkoff says the expansion opportunities are a "priority" for the Pac-12 and they will be taken up in a timely manner.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 27, 2021
This is, obviously, step 1 to any school (hopefully TCU) joining the PAC-12 and avoiding total relegation into college football purgatory.
Kliavkoff continued to note that AAU status would not be a requirement for schools wishing to join the conference, a good sign for the Frogs.
George Kliavkoff declines to answer a question on whether the league has discussed expansion with Texas Tech and says potential new schools do not need to have the AAU accreditation.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 27, 2021
Of course Kliavkoff won’t mention any school by name at this point in the conversation, but Texas Tech would be another option for PAC-12 expansion, alongside the rest of the Big 12 schools and potentially Houston and Boise State.