The Big 12 Conference is a group of 10 (originally 12) universities which compete in the NCAA Division I level. The conference was formed in 1994 but did not begin conference play until the fall of 1996. The schools that compose the Big 12 Conference, except West Virginia, were members of either the Big Eight Conference or the Southwest Conference, and have won six national titles including two titles since the inception of the Big 12 Conference.