Cincinnati alum Urban Meyer backs the Bearcats for the Big 12

The addition of Cincinnati to an expanding Big 12 could pose a very mild recruiting headache for Ohio State. But the Buckeyes head coach still wants it to happen.

"I'm a graduate and a fan," Ohio State head coach and 1986 Cincinnati alum Urban Meyer told reporters over the weekend, Cincinnati.com reported. "I think they should be in the Big 12."

Ohio State will always be king in Ohio, and the presence of a second power conference school in the state won’t change that. But Ohio is a fertile recruiting state, and the introduction of the Big 12 could pave inroads for schools from that league to fish more good players out of the Buckeye State. Meyer, clearly, isn’t so worried about that.

Cincinnati is a legitimate candidate for Big 12 expansion. The Bearcats have the important backing of Oklahoma president David Boren, and they’ve put together a comprehensive pitch. They’re on a long list of schools to reportedly secure an interview with Big 12 brass about inclusion in expansion plans.

After high school, Meyer was a 13th-round MLB draft pick for the Atlanta Braves in 1982. He spent two years playing in the minors and eventually went to Cincinnati, where he played one football season as a defensive back and earned his bachelor's degree in psychology.