A report published on ESPN.com listed Arkansas State as one of 18 schools expected to conduct video conferences with the Big 12 Conference, which is looking for new members.

The report, published late Friday afternoon, cited anonymous sources in reporting that ASU was among a group that has contacted the league about joining and would make presentations touting the possibility.

Reached by phone on Friday, ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir declined to comment other than to say "it's nice to be in the national conversation."

Other schools expected to make presentations, according to ESPN.com are Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, SMU, South Florida, Temple and Tulane of the American Athletic Conference; Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference; Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico and San Diego State of the Mountain West Conference and BYU, which is independent.

Asked during ASU's media day on Aug. 3 about Big 12 expansion in general, Mohajir called it a "lottery-type opportunity" and touted ASU's ability to compete with some of the schools that had been mentioned in most sports.

"I have to do a better job of getting our name out there as a strong program," he said. "When you look at some of the people's names and I look at some of them from competitionwise and fundingwise and growthwise and facilitywise, we're just not in the conversation right now. There's a fine line between being in the conversation and trying to put yourself in the conversation and embarrassing yourself."

Sports on 08/13/2016