Germainfitch1 wrote:who then?
Well, since you ask:
I think Central Florida might be near the top of any Big East expansion list. As it stands, South Florida is an island in the middle of nowhere for that league. Add Central Florida, and the Big East can pair the two up for travel. Northern teams can fly into Florida and knock out two games with a single flight.
I think Memphis also bears watching. Memphis may be the strongest non BCS program East of the Mississippi. They bring a lot of basketball tradition, big crowds in football and they would get the Big East's foot into the door of the Liberty Bowl. It also has some historic ties to Louisville and Cincinnati. Some say Memphis' relationships with Louisville and Cincinnati are a bit frayed right now, but it's still a strong program.
Two other programs that bear watching are East Carolina and Temple.
East Carolina has a strong football program -- they've been outdrawing any team in the MAC despite a team that is playing like a MAC cellar dweller lately. And East Carolina certainly wants in badly; Conference USA doesn't make nearly as much sense geographically.
I'm skeptical that Temple would be taken seriously as a Big East expansion candidate since they were officially thrown out just a few days ago. But we have to keep in mind that most assume the Big East football schools would exand after ditching the basketball schools. There are some who say the biggest thorn in Temple's side all these years was Villanova, which did everything it could to keep Temple from being a full member. If the Big East football schools leave, Villanova would not have a seat at the table.
Those are the non MAC schools that might have an edge on us.
Let's talk MAC schools.
I think Miami and Toledo could be ahead of us in line.
The case for Miami is this:
-- Historically, they've gotten more done in the MAC than any other program.
-- They are the academic star of our conference.
-- They have better faciliites.
The only argument against Miami is the possibility that Cincinnati could blackball them. I don't think we can assume anything here.
The case for Toledo is pretty simple. They are in a stronger position in our market than we are. I don't like it. I'd like to change it. But when you look at the kind of crowds Toledo gets for their football games it is, unfortunately, a fact right now.
Further, I think we're no more than an even choice when compared to Northern Illinois and Ohio. Ohio has academic snob appeal and some of their facilities (e.g., the Convocation Center) are more impressive than ours. And, considering how bad their football program has been for so long, they get decent crowds.
Geography works against Northern Illinois, but it is in a position to make further inroads in Chicago, something we can't offer.
Finally, let's not forget about Marshall. I always assumed West Virginia would blackball them until endlessly. But detailed minutes of the emergency meetings of the Big East football schools to discuss expansion have surfaced on the Internet. WVU president David Hardesty actually put forward Marshall as an expansion choice. The idea was shot down quickly. But at least we know WVU may not be standing in their way.
To wrap up: If/when the Big East football schools expands, it isn't going to add more than four schools.
I don't see a lot of reason to think we would receive serious consideration as one of the four. Even if Miami, Toledo, Ohio and Bowling Green teamed up and offered themselves as a unified expansion choice to the Big East -- could that possibly impress the Big East more than some of the other options available to them?
I have my doubts.
The best thing for Bowling Green is a stronger MAC. It's important we recognize this.
) in Millett and Oxford.