CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati has accepted an invitation to join the Big 12.

The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors voted Friday morning to extend membership invitations to UC, as well as Brigham Young University (BYU), the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the University of Houston. UC is currently a member of the American Athletic Conference, as are Houston and UCF. BYU is independent.

The vote was unanimous, 8-0.

The University of Cincinnati tweeted at 11:54 a.m. Friday that it had accepted the Big 12’s invitation to join, adding that "the road ahead has never been bigger or brighter." UC officials are expected to discuss the situation with the media Friday at 3:30 p.m.

"With 25 years of history, 69 team national champions and 702 individual national champions to its name, the Big 12 ranks among the nation’s premiere athletic conferences,” said Neville G. Pinto, the school's president, said in a media release. “UC’s membership in this Power 5 conference will position us for even greater success both on and off the field.”

"Our student-athletes are at the center of our decision, and this move will allow Cincinnati's best and brightest to compete where they belong: On the biggest stages of collegiate athletics," added John Cunningham, UC's director of athletics. "In the Big 12 Conference, Bearcats teams will host national powers in the heart of our campus, and we will travel to compete at some of the nation's most iconic venues. I cannot wait to experience a whole new level of home-team support in Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena and at all of our home events."

The Big 12 aims to get back to a 12-team alignment. The conference took a big hit this summer when it was announced that Oklahoma and Texas — arguably the two most prominent programs in the league — were leaving for the SEC. That move will likely take place in 2025, based on current financial and league agreements, per CBS Sports.

Other Big 12 member schools include Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Christian University (TCU), Texas Tech and West Virginia. Legendary UC coach Bob Huggins is the head basketball coach at West Virginia.

For UC, the move would be big for all of its sports, but especially the football program. The Bearcats are currently ranked No. 7 in the country, but given the current playoff format, they’re on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff.

A quote from an Oklahoma State coach following the announcement of Big 12 expansion (Provided)
A quote from an Oklahoma State coach following the announcement of Big 12 expansion (Provided)

Part of the reason for their ranking is the perceived relative weakness of their conference schedule compared to teams in leagues like the Big 12, which is a Power Five Conference. The Power Five comprises the five biggest and wealthiest conferences — Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and the SEC.

The AAC is considered a Group of Five conference, which is the second-strongest set of conferences in college football.

Pinto went on to comment that "UC has earned its seat at the Power 5 table. With 8 national champions and 100 conference championships, UC has achieved a level of success few can match.”

Joining the Big 12 will also be big financially for UC’s athletic department. Those include a "significantly enhanced position to secure a long-term media-rights agreement consistent with our investment in athletics," Cunningham said.

"Our goal is to win national championships, and by joining the Big 12, all of our teams will have more avenues to do so. We also will witness a higher level of recruiting, the enhancement of our national brand, and an expected heightened awareness of our institution across the world," he added.

UC head coach Luke Fickell echoed those sentiments Tuesday when asked by reporters about the possibility of moving into the Big 12. He said the speculation and “buzz” are good for the program’s ability to recruit and develop name recognition.

He didn’t explicitly mention what going to the Big 12 would mean, but said the athletic department and the football program would benefit from long-term "growth" and additional resources.

"We know darn well that we’re a top-10 team right now. But in order to be that top-10 program, there’s going to have to be a lot of growth for us as a team, for us as a program, for us as an athletic department, to be able to sustain a lot of things as we move forward,” he said.

It remains unclear when exactly UC will leave the AAC but the release from the university said it will take place "no later than July 1, 2024."

The American Athletic Conference would require Cincinnati and the other two AAC schools to provide a 27-month notice or pay an early exit fee of $10 million, according to the CBS Sports report. BYU, as an independent, would not be bound by those same rules.