Confirming rumors that have been spreading throughout the blogosphere this morning, the Big 12 has officially announced the addition of TCU to the conference:
Acting upon a unanimous recommendation of its expansion subcommittee, the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors has authorized negotiations with Texas Christian University to become the Conference's 10th member, and instructed interim commissioner Chuck Neinas to immediately begin discussions with TCU.
After losing three schools in the last year and fighting off multiple attempts by the Pac-12 to swallow the rest of the conference, the addition of TCU is a strong signal that the Big 12 intends to survive the latest round of conference realignment.
Under coach Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs have become one of the nation's elite football programs, culminating in last year's undefeated season and a victory in the Rose Bowl. TCU was originally scheduled to join the Big East next season, but after that conference lost Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC, they appear happy to rejoin their old Southwest Conference partners (UT, Texas Tech and Baylor) in a new-look Big 12.