If anybody out there in college sports land truly knew the thinking of Big 12 presidents — specifically whether they plan to expand the league by two teams and thus have a lucrative football conference championship game — the news would have been reported already.

Instead, media speculation, from mostly Midwestern and southern outlets that match the league's current footprint, have carried the narrative.

Which prompts the following question: What if the people reporting this are completely full of barn droppings and their musings reflect nothing more than their own provincialism?

I ask this because they're all fairly sure of themselves on the topic of the University of Connecticut. As in: Considering UConn for potential expansion is dumber than the one-out bunt to many of these people, who do posturing better than Sinatra did "New York, New York."

Speaking of: Can any other potential candidate deliver New York, New York the way UConn can?

I'm soooo confused, as Vinny Barbarino used to say. Because I look at the candidates — again, the ones that have been reported and who knows if others exist, too — and I think: UConn doesn't offer more?

I mean, somewhere in recent months, Cincinnati has morphed into Ohio State. As if it's this no brainer that it is the most logical candidate to move to the Big 12. It could be true. Or a media contrivance. Or the residual effect of Cincinnati's pandering president. However, thanks to some numbers unearthed by Matt Schonvisky, who covers UConn sports ...

Fact: UConn (57) sits well above Cincinnati (140) in the latest U.S. News and World Report academic rankings. (Not that school matters anymore, but you get the idea.)

Fact: UConn (20) has a bigger media market than Cincinnati (34). And I'm not sure why we need the asterisk suggesting UConn's number "includes Fairfield County." Isn't Fairfield County part of Connecticut? Doesn't UConn sell out all of its games in Fairfield County, namely Webster Bank Arena? Aren't Fairfield County folks part of the throng that fills Madison Square Garden?

Other facts: UConn's athletic department revenue exceeded Cincinnati's by $20 million in 2014-15. UConn (21-19) has more current NFL players (before the 2016 draft), has a higher average home football attendance since 2003 and has won 13 more national championships.

Now you and I may see that as overwhelming evidence. Others, however, will fall back on the cosmic college sports crutch: Football drives the bus, dopey. Which is fine. And so I ask: Is UConn football honestly THAT bad? Did it become UMass when we weren't paying attention? It's not currently better than Kansas?

It made the BCS under Randy Edsall. It was hideous under Paul Pasqualoni. And it's getting better under Bob Diaco. OK, so we get that college football "isn't part of the culture" up here. But anyone who thinks Rentschler Field wouldn't be abuzz with Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor coming to town is an idiot. We were breathing into brown paper bags for a week when Michigan was here a few years ago. This year, games with Syracuse and BC will move the needle.

So when you look big picture, how is UConn not front and center in this narrative?

Methinks this is because the purveyors of the narrative couldn't find Storrs, CT on a map and find the idea of traveling to a college football afterthought is beneath them.

The fervent wish from this corner is that Big 12 presidents ask themselves whether UConn will enhance the brand better than other candidates. And with UConn's tentacles in New York City — the always howling Garden and its games on SNY — the idea of introducing the Big 12 brand to the big, bad city would be tempting.

Or would they rather go to Memphis?

I just don't get it. I'm starting to understand why UConn fans are paranoid.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.