The Big 12 is on the fast track toward expansion.

A source confirmed that the league is targeting BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF as the schools to grow the league in the aftermath of Texas and Oklahoma announcing plans to bolt for the SEC by the summer of 2025, at the latest.

Sports Illustrated first reported Friday that those four schools are expected to apply for membership in the Big 12 early next week. The Big 12 presidents are expected to meet on Sept. 10 and could approve membership for those four schools that day.

A source said the schools have “strong support” within the Big 12. The source added that the eight remaining schools are committed to staying together and strengthening the league.

It’s unclear whether this expansion could trigger member schools to extend their grant-of-rights media agreements with the conference beyond the summer of 2025. That’s when Texas and Oklahoma will depart.

Much will likely depend on the upcoming TV negotiations and whether leagues such as the Pac-12, Big Ten or ACC revisit expansion in the future.

For now, though, the league appears ready to grow back to 12 teams in the post-OU/UT era. It’s still unclear when the four newcomers could join the league, possibly even playing a year or two with Texas and Oklahoma still in it.

BYU, which is an independent in football, could join as early as next year. Cincinnati, UCF and Houston are members of the American Athletic Conference and that league’s bylaws call for 27 months’ notice if members plan to leave.

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