Houston athletic director Hunter Yurachek said Saturday that the university is "well-positioned" for Big 12 expansion.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and UH president Renu Khator smile before the Advocare Texas Kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle
UH is among 11 schools, along with Rice, that will reportedly make formal presentations to the Big 12 this week.
"The one message that was loud and clear to me was [Oklahoma president] Dr. [David] Boren said he wanted somebody that was going to make the Big 12 more competitive," Yurachek said at halftime of UH's 33-23 victory over third-ranked Oklahoma. "You can see what our program is doing right now."
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Asked whether UH fits the criteria the Big 12 is looking for, Yurachek added: "I think you see coaches in the Big 12 are talking they don't want anything to do with the University of Houston. To me that checks that box of someone being competitive."
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby attended Saturday's game at NRG Stadium. He remains confident the Big 12 board of directors will make progress by the time it meets in mid-October but offered no other details which way the league is leaning on expansion.
The Big 12 announced July 19 that is would consider adding two or four teams. The list of schools reportedly under consideration are UH, Rice, BYU, Cincinnati, Central Florida, South Florida, Connecticut, Colorado State, SMU, Air Force and Tulane.
"I don't have a vote," Bowlsby said. "I am confident they will make progress (by the Oct. 17 meeting)."
