This stuff won't go away soon, it just won't. More on the Big 12 expansion and Texas A&M stuff tomorrow morning, so look for that.
But the site that perhaps first mentioned Pitt was a potential target is back with more. Orangebloods.com now says that interest in Pitt and BYU is heating up with the Panthers now possibly a top target of the Big 12.
Who knows just how true any of this is, but Pitt is reportedly becoming one of the top schools sought by the conference:The two names I keep hearing at the moment are BYU and Pittsburgh. BYU makes sense because ESPN has the Cougars' television contract, and ABC/ESPN is also the Tier 1 rights holder in the Big 12. But BYU may be perfect as an independent because of its ties to the Church of Latter-day Saints and its policies prohibiting the Cougars from athletic competition on Sundays.
Two sources told me today Pittsburgh continues to move up as a Big 12 target, and may even be moving into the lead. Pitt AD Steve Pederson is sending out signals the Panthers are content in the Big East.
The article reportedly mentions several sources. I won't doubt the credibility of those sources, but information is so limited at this time. Even all the folks making the decisions don't really know how everything will shake out, so why would anyone else at this point?
Bottom line is that, as I mentioned the other day, the Big 12 wanting to add Pitt makes perfect sense for the reasons I cited (solid football program, near-elite basketball program, northeast eyeballs), but I just don't see Pitt reciprocating that interest without other schools making the jump. Notre Dame, for the moment, appears out. Even if other schools are added, the issue of distance is still there and in the end, I also don't know how crazy Pitt would be about selling the midwest to its fanbase.
Still incredibly unlikely in my opinion.