because, in the end, the Big 12 will be absorbed into other conferences so that they can have the 4 conferences of 16 teams, and two divisions within each conference.

Perhaps it's part of the bigger picture and by doing this, they allow the outcry from the other conferences to justify breaking up the Big 12. The 'perceived' pressure to have a championship game and the threat of leaving the Big 12 "out" ....will give reason to bust up the Big 12 and allow the universities within that conference time to get their major donors on board with the breakup and absorbtion into new conferences.