Colorado’s regents vote 9-0 to go back to the Big 12
Six days after the Pac-12 commissioner said, “Our schools are committed to each other and to the Pac-12,” the University of Colorado Board of Regents voted unanimously to leave the Pac-12 and rejoin the Big 12.
Jul 27, 2023
Reasons given
- Philip DiStefano and Rick George, CU Boulder chancellor and athletic director
a switch in conference would give CU Boulder the stability, resources, and exposure necessary for long-term future success
- Tom Osborne, former Nebraska coach and athletic director
Finances are driving this thing more than anything
Deion Sanders, Colorado head football coach
This move is a game changer, and we plan on changing the game.
The day
The University of Colorado Board of Regents unanimously approved a resolution Thursday allowing the University of Colorado Boulder to join the Big 12 Conference effective for the 2024-25 academic year.
The Associated Press
While some of the regents expressed disappointment about leaving the Pac-12, they said the shifting sports landscape left CU no option but to rejoin the conference where they were a founding member in 1996.
Reaction
Jul 28, 2023
Doubts the move or what it fixes
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports college football writer
The Big 12 didn’t win anything, it simply bought more time.
Looking back at what was lost
Tom Osborne, former Nebraska coach and athletic director
You’re talking about lost traditions, ... I can share the feelings of the fans in that I miss those drives to Manhattan, Kansas; Lawrence, Kansas; Ames, Iowa, and some of those relationships.
Associated Press, via KSAT
Background
Earlier statements
Before the vote
In 2011, Colorado and Nebraska left the conference to join the Pac-12 and Big Ten, respectively.
Wikipedia, Big 12 Conference (passage on 2011; revision of Oct 7, 2026)
On July 1, 2011, the Pac-12 assumed its 12-team alignment when both Colorado and Utah officially joined as full members.
Wikipedia, Pac-12 Conference (passage on 2011; revision of Oct 5, 2026)
Mike Sanford was named interim Head Coach after Karl Dorrell was fired during the 2022 season, Sanford was previously the Buffaloes Offensive Coordinator for the start of the 2022 campaign. ... On December 3, Colorado announced Deion Sanders as Head Football Coach.
Wikipedia, Colorado Buffaloes football (passage on 2022; revision of Oct 3, 2026)
George Kliavkoff, Pac-12 commissioner
Our schools are committed to each other and to the Pac-12, ... We’ll get our media rights deal done, we’ll announce the deal.
Earlier moves
On July 29, 2021, the 14 presidents and chancellors of SEC member universities voted unanimously to invite Oklahoma and Texas to join the SEC.
Wikipedia, Big 12 Conference (passage on 2021; revision of Oct 7, 2026)
On September 10, 2021, the Big 12 announced that invitations had been extended to and accepted by BYU (a football independent and member of the non-football West Coast Conference) and three members of the American Athletic Conference in Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston.
Wikipedia, Big 12 Conference (passage on 2021; revision of Oct 7, 2026)
… on June 30, 2022, UCLA and USC announced their departure for the Big Ten Conference beginning in the 2024–25 academic year.
Wikipedia, Pac-12 Conference (passage on 2022; revision of Oct 5, 2026)
Related
- Jul 29, 2021Texas and Oklahoma move to the SEC
- Sep 10, 2021The Big 12 adds BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF
- Jun 30, 2022USC and UCLA leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten
- Colorado returns to the Big 12This page
- Aug 4, 2023Oregon and Washington join the Big Ten
- Aug 4, 2023Arizona, Arizona State and Utah leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12
- Sep 1, 2023Stanford and Cal join the ACC
- Dec 22, 2023Florida State sues the ACC
- Same coach: Deion Sanders on his coach page
- More: All of History
- Same quotes, as a list
Sources
News and releases
Fox News, Jul 28, 2023·Archived copy“Deion Sanders reacts to Colorado’s Big 12 move: ‘A game changer’”
Remarks, as quoted by Fox News; said to 247 Sports
University of Colorado Athletics, Jul 27, 2023·Archived copy“Colorado To Join Big 12 Conference In 2024-25”
Release published by the University of Colorado Athletics (cubuffs.com)
KCTV5, Jul 27, 2023·Archived copy“Colorado leaving Pac-12 and returning to Big 12 in 2024 following unanimous vote by board of regents”
Associated Press, via KCTV5
CBS Sports, Jul 28, 2023·Archived copy“Why Big 12 luring Colorado back from Pac-12 is just a short-term solution with larger issues on the horizon”
KSAT, Jul 28, 2023·Archived copy“Big 12 not quite the same, but it feels like home to a 98-year-old Colorado fan”
- CBS Sports, Jul 21, 2023·Archived copy
“Pac-12 Media Day 2023: George Kliavkoff stands firm on media rights timeline, downplays realignment concerns”
Remarks, as quoted by CBS Sports; said at Pac-12 football media day in Las Vegas
Wikipedia
- Big 12 Conference, revision of Oct 7, 2026
- Pac-12 Conference, revision of Oct 5, 2026
- Colorado Buffaloes football, revision of Oct 3, 2026
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0