Report: Pac-10 to Extend Invites to OU, OSU and 4 Other Big 12 Schools

With rumors swirling around conference realignment, the Pac-10 made news Thursday.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:46 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Jun 3, 2010 2:53 PM CDT

Conference realignment news and analysis from Oklahoma Sports.
- Report: Pac-10 to Extend Invites to OU, OSU and 4 Other Big 12 Schools
- Big 12 Commissioner Don Beebe Hopeful Conference Can Remain Intact

- Dean Blevins: Revolutionary Realignment is Here

- Bobby Lewis: A Pac-10 State of Mind
- Realignment Rumors Bring More Questions - Chad's Blog
- How Do I Feel About OU and OSU Possibly Moving to the Pac-10? - Toby's Blog

Dave Carty
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- How fitting it is that the conference realignment talk has hit a furor during tornado season.

With rumors swirling, the Pac-10 added fuel to the fire by reportedly preparing to invite Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and three other Big 12 schools to the conference, according to Orangebloods.com.

The website cites multiple sources close to the conference, which is said to also be preparing invited for Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Colorado.

The invites would exclude Big 12 schools Nebraska and Missouri, which have been linked to the Big 10 in rumors, but Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Baylor could be left in the cold.

The report states the six programs invited to join would be placed in an eight-team division with Arizona and Arizona State. The remaining Pac-10 teams - USC, UCLA, California, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State - would be in another eight-team division.

Thursday night University of Oklahoma director of athletics Joe Castiglione emphasized his support for the Big 12.

“We cannot be more sincere how committed we are to the health of this league going forward and how proud we are of what’s been achieved over the 14 years this league has been in existence," he said. "We are really passionate about that. I’ve made no bones about that from the first day somebody asked me that question.”

The Big 12 meetings wrap up on Friday.