Breaking up can be hard—and, for major college football programs, expensive.
Officials at a trio of schools soon to be joining the Big 12—Cincinnati, Houston and UCF—are learning that lesson the pricy way. The programs are reportedly negotiating a settlement with the American Athletic Conference to leave the league early and make their Big 12 membership official on July 1, 2023, according to Brett McMurphy of Action Network.
The three schools—along with current independent BYU—are joining the Big 12 following the departure of Texas and Oklahoma for the SEC. The settlement is reportedly in the “$17 million to $20 million range,” per McMurphy.