Iowa State Debuts New Big 12 Mural With Brilliant Strategy To Save Money When Texas, Oklahoma Leave For SEC

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The Big 12 is going to look very different this year, and will look different again in 2024. Iowa State has found a brilliant way to appease both changes to the conference in coming years and it's hilarious.

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Iowa State is prepared for Texas and Oklahoma's departure.(Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images)

Not long after the news broke that Texas and Oklahoma had reached an agreement to join the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 went searching for their replacements. And, technically, the conference name was a misnomer anyway.

Missouri and Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC back in 2012. They were never replaced, which left the Big 12 with only 10 teams for the last 11 years.

With the Longhorns and Sooners out, that left the Big 12 with just eight teams. The ensuing search for their successors led to the addition of BYU, UCF, Houston and Cincinnati.

The latter three came to an agreement with the AAC and will each pay an $8 million early exit fee in addition to the initial $10 million that had been agreed upon for them to leave the conference for the Big 12. BYU is an independent, so that move was pretty simple.

All four programs will join the Big 12 this season.

Texas and Oklahoma will compete in the Big 12 for one final year before leaving for the SEC in 2024. That leaves the Big 12 with 14 schools for 2023. And then the Sooners and Longhorns are gone.

To welcome each of the four new schools to the Big 12, Iowa State debuted a brand-new mural in its athletics building. It features all 14 schools— for now.

But what happens when Texas and Oklahoma leave?! Will the Cyclones need a new mural?!

Look closely at the construction of the mural. Notice how the Longhorns and Sooners are located on the same panel, away from the other 12 schools.

When they leave for the SEC, all Iowa State will need to do is remove that panel. All it takes is eight screws to get rid of the defectors. No money will be wasted on a new mural in Ames!