Big East Expansion/Split Update...

Updated June 6, 2011

This site

http://no2minutewarning.com/2011/05/25/podcast-episode-052-big-east-split-on-horizon/

Links to this site

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ycn-8523309

Links to this site

But there is tons of twitter traffic about the Big East right now.


Confirms the following...

The Big East is looking at expanding to 12 in football and waiting for what Villanova decides.  Houston and Central Florida will be the other 2 members if 'Nova Says yes.  Otherwise, it is uncertain if they will remain at 9 or move to 12.  Without Villanova, the 12th member could be East Carolina or SMU.  That is what the coaches seem to prefer.

There is also talk of inviting Army and Navy.  Nice idea, but it messes with one of the best traditions in college sports.  The service academies, including Air Force need to be independent.  They need to play a national schedule and have nation-wide exposure.  The only reason for the service academies to have extra-mural sports is for recruiting and good will.  If Army and Navy needed to be in a conference, they would still be in C-USA.  Although money may be the deciding factor.

However, some people have recently floated the idea of adding Army and Navy as football only schools.  This would not add to the strength of football play in the Big East...not in the slightest, but it would help avoid further basketball expansion and the weakening of the basketball program.  Basketball coaches in the Big East do not seem to want to add weak basketball programs and suffer the same fate that the ACC has recently when the ACC could only place 4 teams into the NCAA men's basketball tournament. (Remember that the ACC passed over a strong traditional basketball program in West Virginia to get the better in football, bigger market Boston College.)

But if the Big East does split, it is my guess that the football side will keep the name Big East where the Basketball side will chose a new name.  But also remember that this is all talk right now and that nothing has been decided.  It is sometimes difficult to separate fiction from reality at this point of the game.

Big East Football Schools, with Villanova  (My projection)

North Division
Syracuse
Cincinnati
Rutgers
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
U-Conn

South Division
Villanova (Or East Carolina)
Central Florida
South Florida
TCU
Houston
Louisville

Basketball Conference
St. Johns
Notre Dame
Georgetown
Marquette
Seton Hall
Providence
DePaul
(Villanova)

BYU fans might notice a similarity between the basketball-only members of the Big East and the West Coast Conference...all are private, religious-based schools.  In fact, I believe that they are all Catholic schools.

Let me also add that I see no panic among C-USA fans when I look on the message boards and on twitter.  C-USA may be content to remain at 9 or 10.