Fresno Mayor Pushes For Big 12 Invite For The Bulldogs

Fresno mayor Jerry Dyer wants to see the Bulldogs join the Big 12.

Fresno State has been floated as a possible addition for the Big 12 amid further expansion talk. The Big 12 has been clear it wants to expand to the west coast to add an extra time zone.

FSU could be the program Brett Yormark ends up snatching and stealing from the MWC.

If Dyer has it his way, Fresno State will absolutely join the Big 12, and he sent letters to mayors in cities that host a Big 12 team seeking their support for expansion, he revealed in an interview with ABC30.

"We've earned our way there. Now, it's just a matter of getting others to believe in us like we believe in ourselves," the Fresno mayor explained.

Is Fresno State bound for the Big 12?

The belief for a long time was that the Big 12 would target the PAC-12 for expansion. That might still happen.

It's too early to tell whether or not the PAC-12 will survive given the lack of a new media deal. However, it appears the waters are a little less choppy - at least for the time being.

That means the Big 12 needs to start looking at other options. Fresno State is a large university with resources, an enrollment north of 20,000 and it's in a city with a population that's more than 500,000.

If the Big 12 is locked in on going west no matter what, the Bulldogs are certainly not a terrible option.

The PAC-12 still remains the Big 12's top priority. Don't get that twisted. If Brett Yormark can steal some PAC-12 teams, he's going to do it. However, if he must shift to a plan B for his conference, Fresno State makes a lot of sense.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.