American collegiate athletic organization, composed of the Universities of Kansas (Kansas, University of), Nebraska (Nebraska, University of), Oklahoma (Oklahoma, University of), Colorado (Colorado, University of), Texas (Texas, University of), and Missouri (Missouri, University of), as well as Kansas State (Kansas State University), Oklahoma State (Oklahoma State University), Iowa State (Iowa State University), Baylor (Baylor University), Texas A & M (Texas A&M University), and Texas Tech (Texas Tech University) universities. Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa State, and Kansas State had been members of the Missouri Valley Conference (formed in 1907) but split in 1928 to form the Big 6 Conference. It became the Big 7 when Colorado joined the conference in 1948 and the Big 8 when Oklahoma State was added in 1959. The conference expanded in 1996 when four Texas universities left the Southwest Conference and joined the Big 8; as the Big 12, it was split into two six-team divisions, one of which consists of the six Oklahoma and Texas schools.