Report: Colorado holds 'substantive' talks with Big 12

The rumors continue to swirl about Colorado amid realignment rumors. More reporting is connecting the Buffaloes to the Big 12 as they explore a potential departure from the Pac-12.

CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd reported Colorado has had “substantive” talks with the Big 12. The report comes as the Big 12 is preparing for its spring meetings this week in Florida and one week after a report from The Oklahoman linked the Buffaloes to the Big 12.

Colorado athletic director Rick George addressed those reports in an interview with BuffZone, but didn’t entirely shut down the idea of a future move.

*Follow all Colorado Buffaloes news on Facebook here*

“We’re members of the Pac-12, we’re proud members of the Pac-12 and we’ve got to see where our media rights deal lands and where our conference goes,” George said. “In a perfect world, we’d love to be in the Pac-12, but we also have to do what’s right for Colorado at the end of day. We’ll evaluate things as we move forward.”

After taking over as Big 12 commissioner, Brett Yormark made it abundantly clear the conference is “open for business” as realignment dominoes continue to fall. The Pac-12 has been seen as a potential target for the league, and reports previously connected the “Four Corners” schools to the Big 12. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah have all reportedly had conversations with the Big 12, The Athletic reported in March.

Additionally, earlier this month, The Athletic reported UConn could be a target for the Big 12. Gonzaga could also get a serious look, and Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported both schools could come up at the league meetings later this week.

The Big 12 and Gonzaga have had some previous talks over the last year, though.

Early in the 2022-23 basketball season, a report from The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy detailed a meeting between Yormark and Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford before the Bulldogs took on Texas. The Athletic also reported the Big 12 was in “deep discussions” with Gonzaga, and Yormark confirmed conversations have taken place.

However, he noted “other things” he’s “focused on” regarding expansion.

“I like Gonzaga,” Yormark said ahead of the Big 12 Tournament in March. “Obviously, great program. My focus right now is to see what happens to our industry. There’s a lot of moving parts. I continue to have conversations with Gonzaga, but I think, as I prioritize what our next move might be in expansion, there’s other things right now that I’m focused on.”