Big 12 accepts Arizona State, Utah applications to join conference

The Big 12 announced it has unanimously approved applications by the Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes to join the conference after its board of presidents and chancellors met on Friday.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news.

ASU follows Arizona, whose application was approved to join the Big 12 on Thursday, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

Arizona’s universities need a go-ahead from the Arizona Board of Regents, which met Thursday night to discuss the matter. Arizona, Arizona State and Utah would join Colorado in moving on from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 after the 2023-24 academic year and at the end of the Pac-12 media rights deal. The Big 12 is up to 16 universities.

The Pac-12 continues to dissolve, as Oregon’s and Washington’s moves to the Big Ten were approved by the league’s presidents. They are set to join UCLA and USC.

Cal, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State are the final members who have not been reported to be seeking a new home. The Pac-12 planned to vote on a grant of rights to bind committed members of the conference together on Friday, but that didn’t happen.

Commissioner George Kliavkoff presented schools with a streaming-focused TV rights proposal with Apple on Tuesday, although there was no vote accepting or rejecting the deal.

Arizona and ASU’s jumps to the Big 12 would end their 46-year stay in the Pac-10/Pac-12 but keep the rivalry in the same conference.

“The Arizona schools I think do feel compelled to stay together one way or the other,” Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde told Arizona Sports Bickley & Marotta on Friday.

Arizona State under president Michael Crow has shown a hesitancy in leaving the Pac-12, but Oregon’s and Washington’s departures left the conference in a dire spot.

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