Big 12
On This Day: West Virginia Officially Joined Big 12 Conference in 2012
On this day in 2012, West Virginia officially joined the Big 12 Conference along with TCU. WVU left the Big East after 21 years of allegiance with the conference.
In its 10 years in the Big 12, West Virginia has upgraded athletic facilities and has stayed competitive in football and basketball. The football program has appeared in nine bowl games during the Big 12 era and basketball has reached the Sweet 16 three times during that span.
After WVU left the Big East, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse headed to the ACC while a new Big East Conference was formed.
Many West Virginia fans have been disappointed with the inconvenience to travel to conference road games, but it seems like the Mountaineers were ahead of their time as the next conference realignment won’t factor in proximity.
WVU and TCU are currently the newest teams added to the Big 12 until 2023 when the conference officially introduces BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. As the Big Ten poaches UCLA and USC from the Pac 12, there could be more teams eventually joining the Big 12.
I asked West Virginia fans on Twitter what some of their favorite moments have been during the past 10 years in the Big 12.
Will Grier to Gary Jennings TD in Austin and then two point conversion to seal it
— willie (@SadWVUFan) July 1, 2022
Tavon and Stedman just running all over Texas in 2012. The Mountaineers silenced 103,000 Texans on that night. pic.twitter.com/0CioNcumwa
— John Kersten (@john_kersten) July 1, 2022
Storming the court against Kansas when Jermaine Haley hit the game winner
— Asante Samuel Jr Fan Club⚡️🇺🇦 (@ASJFC26) July 1, 2022