The BIG sticks with AAU requirement bc presidents, not athletic directors, make the conference affiliation decisions. The BIG leads the nation in research dollars(were talking billions, dwarfing sports payouts). And those presidents have not looked in past too keen to add schools who dont add to their Research Alliance.
All that said, if the BIG did bend the rules, I think Oklahoma State is by far the best candidate (of the Big 12 remnants). All bets are off if they raid the ACC.
With Oklahoma State's success in football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling, you have checked the boxes on the only 4 revenue sports. And of course wrestling is huge in the BIG.
Oklahoma will land on its feet. to me, the worst case scenario would be the PAC, which is dead, and i dont see adding Oklahoma State, Tech, and 2 other teams as saving it.
Id love to end up in ACC with Oklahoma State, Texas tech, Kstate, Kansas, and TCU(to hell with baylor and ISU).
problem for ISU? no baseball team, and really not much above Kansas in football once matt c leaves, and no conference is going to take ISU thinking he stays long term.