Big East Expansion

[dstubb]

If the MAC has any interest in expanding to 16, I'd like to see it make an attempt to get two schools from the CAA and/or A10 that have good football/basketball programs. Then, perhaps, they could join with Temple and Umass in all sports. It's a long shot, but it would be nice to lock up Temple, Umass, and two other solid programs in Bball.

I agree. Who would those two teams be? Dayton? Who else?

[NWLB]

OK. To clarify, I don't think the MAC is in danger of losing members (except for Temple). There aren't going to be better options for MAC schools.

Would we really be "losing" Temple, seriously?

Again, I don't think I mentioned only Temple, Nathan.

You didn't, but I was. Again, I think Temple is the ass-end of football that nobody wants to deal with, except the MAC leadership for some reason.

[BGSUfalcons]

If the MAC has any interest in expanding to 16, I'd like to see it make an attempt to get two schools from the CAA and/or A10 that have good football/basketball programs. Then, perhaps, they could join with Temple and Umass in all sports. It's a long shot, but it would be nice to lock up Temple, Umass, and two other solid programs in Bball.

I agree. Who would those two teams be? Dayton? Who else?

Dayton plays FCS non-scholarship football in the Pioneer League. That would be a tremendous leap to FBS. The top teams in the MAC would beat Dayton by 60+ points right now. From the CAA, the best football - basketball combo this year is Old Dominion. The A10 basketball team that I had in mind is Richmond (which plays CAA football). William & Mary, CAA for all sports, might also be good.

[NWLB]

The LAST thing Ohio needs now, is another school attempting 1A level football.

[BGSUfalcons]

Why laugh at something that is likely?

Because I don't think it's likely. I think Big East football is on life support and their last remaining marquee team (WVA) will be gone, soon.

I don't think that WVU has options. The Big East's AQ status is locked in for a couple years. If the rumored teams are added, the Big East would retain its AQ status beyond that. Although the conference wouldn't be great, it would be the clear #6. The gap between the proposed new Big "East" and the merged CUSA-MWC would be much greater than the gap between the merged CUSA-MWC and the MAC or WAC.

[duckunder53]

LOL...why do you think any of the invited schools are going to go to the Big East vs. this new conference?

I think ECU and UCF join the Big East, and that's it. The rest will stay and be a part of the "Super Conference."

Most of the schools invited, including UH and SMU, are headed to the Big East. The fact that they are still AQ and have some programs that will bring fans to the stadium means a lot. Not to mention the financial gain as compared to CUSA.

Just by getting these other schools on the schedule it makes ticket sales that better all around. The difference in football tradition between the Big East schools and the "Super Conference" is very large...and that's not even mentioning the HUGE difference in basketball.

Big East
West Virginia
Rutgers
Cincinnati
UConn
Louisville
USF
UCF*
Boise State*
Air Force*
UH*
SMU*

CUSA/MWC
UTEP
Rice
Tulsa
Memphis
Southern Miss
Tulane
UAB
Marshall
ECU
Colorado St.
New Mexico
San Diego St.
UNLV
Wyoming
UH*
SMU*
UCF*

Just by looking down the list...which schools do you believe help a program grow more? Looking at the big picture, the Big East should still be able to keep AQ status. They're taking Boise State and Air Force (the strong MWC football schools) as well as UCF, UH, and SMU from CUSA. Not much left for UH or SMU if they decide to stay. It doesn't matter how many weak teams you put into a conference, they're still weak.

[NWLB]

Word tonight has WVU jumping to the Big 12.

The Big East as a BCS conference surely is dead, if not now than eventually. If all the schools bolt, they'll need 5 to 7 replacements. No way you have a BCS league coming out of that.

[kdog27]

Word tonight has WVU jumping to the Big 12.

The Big East as a BCS conference surely is dead, if not now than eventually. If all the schools bolt, they'll need 5 to 7 replacements. No way you have a BCS league coming out of that.

I heard on the Paul Finebaum show on the way home from work that they are now thinking of having a 28-32 team super league that would combine the Big East, Conference USA and the MWC. Seemed ridiculous but who knows.

[NWLB]

From East Carolina in the Atlantic to Texas in the South, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern and Western America. All these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet.....I mean the Big Mountain USA sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to ESovietPN influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Bristol.

[manager]

Thanks for an appropriate analogy between ESPN and the Soviet Union. Signed, Winston.

[Falcon137]

When the Big East collapses and the basketball only schools break off, the school that is going to get screwed is Cincinnati.

They are going to get forced back into a Conference USA type league.

The Big East commissioner came out and said he wasn't going to meet with CUSA and the Mountain West about a super league.

[Globetrotter]

Look like Louisville might take the spot instead.

[NWLB]

The Big East commissioner came out and said he wasn't going to meet with CUSA and the Mountain West about a super league.

I think his exact words were "WVU is a big poopy pants, and CUSA has coodies, I'm going home!" He'd have taken his ball with him, but that too has already accepted an invitation from the Big 12.

[dstubb]

I don't think that WVU has options.

Care to revise that statement?

[NWLB]

Sisters don't count.