The Big 12 may soon take a step toward embodying its much-maligned slogan: One True Champion.
The league's athletic directors support ending the league's policy of crowning co-champions in football, league commissioner Bob Bowlsby told reporters in Kansas City on Thursday. Under a new policy, the head-to-head champion in football would be the lone conference title winner.
No official action was taken because details of handling a three-way tiebreaker are still being finalized, but there is momentum toward moving away from handing out multiple trophies. The practice began with the 2011 season when the Big 12 did away with the conference title game after Nebraska and Colorado's departures meant a 10-team league without divisions instead of a 12-team conference divided into North and South divisions.
Oklahoma and Kansas State shared a title in 2012, despite Kansas State beating the Sooners on their home field.
In 2014, the practice came under fire while TCU and Baylor both jockeyed for inclusion in the four-team playoff. Baylor beat TCU, 61-58, but lost to West Virginia a week later. The Horned Frogs led the Bears in the CFP poll until the final edition, when Baylor jumped to No. 5 and bumped TCU from No. 3 to No. 6. Both teams finished behind Ohio State, thanks to the Buckeyes' 59-0 Big Ten title game win over Wisconsin. OSU went on to win the national title.
One committee member told FOX Sports Southwest in January that eliminating the practice of co-champions would not have affected Baylor's chances to earn one of the four playoff spots.
Bowlsby also told reporters the league would appoint a committee to explore sportsmanship issues like rushing the court in basketball.
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