HOUSTON — About two dozen Texas lawmakers are supporting efforts to get the University of Houston admitted to the Big 12 Conference.

State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Bill Callegari, both from the Houston area, co-wrote a letter Thursday asking Big 12 officials to consider adding the university to the conference.

“UH is the third largest university in Texas, and is on track to rank among the top research universities in this state,” the letter says. “Despite UH’s local and statewide prominence, the university does not belong to a strong BCS conference such as the Big 12. The Cougars, the city of Houston, and the state of Texas deserve better.”

Houston is a member of Conference USA and was a member of the Southwest Conference until 1995.