Oklahoma president David Boren: Big 12 'should strive for' 12-team league

Oklahoma president David Boren advocated for Big 12 expansion Wednesday, saying the conference "should strive for" a 12-team league in an interview with Ryan Aber of The Oklahoman.

"I think it’s something we should strive for while we have the time, stability, all of that to look and be choosy," Boren said. "(We) can be very selective about who we want to add. It would have to add value to the conference. I think we should.

"How many years can this go on? It just gets to be really debilitating. I worry about that. That's something I just worry about long-term about the conference, not short-term."

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby addressed Boren's comments later in the day, via Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News.

"We talk about membership at (every) meeting," Bowlsby said. "I think our presidents individually have their own opinions on things. President Boren expressed his today.

"His comments are not troubling. This is out there. I have not gotten the indication that the majority of our presidents feel that way. I get the feeling that nothing has changed since we last discussed it."

Bowlsby also said the NCAA football oversight panel approved football title game deregulation, which now heads to the comment phase. Approval for such a change would likely come at the NCAA convention in January.

The lack of attractive candidates available to fill an extra two spots in the league has likely played a big part in the Big 12 staying at 10 teams, but title game deregulation passing would surely quell some of the issues that come with having a 10-team conference.