Amid Memphis' failed $200 million pursuit to join Big 12, AAC commish Tim Pernetti admits being a target of conference realignment 

Conference realignment has been a growing topic in the college football world. With the Pac-12 making moves to rebuild its conference before the 2026 season, other teams have also been looking to move into more competitive conferences. One of the most notable examples was Memphis to join the Big 12. The team put together a $200 million bid to jump from the AAC to the Big 12.

However, according to a report from USA Today, the Big 12 rejected the Tigers' bid to join the conference. This was reportedly the third time in the past decade that the Big 12 has rejected Memphis's request to join the Big 12 and into the Power 4.

Following the news about Memphis' attempt to join the Big 12, AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti spoke on Friday about it. He first acknowledged that he was aware of the conversations.

"I was very aware of the conversations," Pernetti said. "I understand Memphis' ambition."

When referring to Memphis's ambition, he is referring to the ambition of the Tigers to leave the AAC for a Power 4 conference. That has been a goal of the Tigers since athletic director Ed Scott took over in June 2024. He is slated to earn a $250,000 bonus if he gets the Tigers into a Power 4 conference. He has acknowledged that the two most realistic possibilities are the Big 12 and ACC.

On the topic of conference realignment, Pernetti spoke on Friday about how he is not surprised that the AAC is a consistent target.

Failed Memphis move to join the Big 12: Conference realignment has significantly impacted the AAC in recent years

While Memphis failed to join the Big 12, the AAC has still been severely impacted by conference realignment in recent years. In fact, the Big 12 has added several members from the AAC in recent years, including UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. Those three teams left the AAC following the 2022 season.

Following the news that Memphis had another failed proposal to join the Big 12, it could cause the Tigers to shift their focus. They could move to join the ACC rather than the Big 12. Alternatively, the Tigers could take a more creative approach and try to join the Pac-12.

The Pac-12 was significantly impacted by conference realignment ahead of last season, with all but two teams leaving the conference. As a result, it is trying to rebuild and has eight football teams set to compete starting in the 2026 season. While that is the minimum amount, there is still plenty of room for further expansion.

It is worth noting that Gonzaga is a seventh team joining the Pac-12 but as a non-football program.

Edited by Alexander O'Reilly