Big East to Add New Members

by **BirdmanBB** » December 6th, 2011, 2:01 pm

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7323183/sources-big-east-announce-boise-state-four-others-joining-conference

The Sandusky thing happened and this story just sort of dissappeared. I was wondering when it would resurface.

Big East is adding Boise State(fball only), San Diego State(fball only), SMU, UCF and Houston .

This has major implications to the valley since both Boise and SDSU are a part of the challenge and will now have to find a conference for their other sports. This guts the MWC which leaves them at 7 (Fresno and Nevado join next year with New Mexico, Air Force, Colorado St., UNLV and Wyoming). This also guts the CUSA and drops them to 9 members.

Navy is expected to join the big east as well for fball only once some loose ends are tied up.

**Sponsor**

by **SubGod22** » December 6th, 2011, 2:11 pm

This move could make the WCC stronger in basketball. SDSU and Boise I'd think will both end up there. Where else could they land? What other conference on the West Coast don't play football?

by **BirdmanBB** » December 6th, 2011, 2:12 pm

Hey Missouri St. was that envelope marked with todays date? I think this move shows there is a real chance that someone in the valley could be getting an envelope in the future. It still depends on what the CUSA plans to do to recoup, but there will be FBS openings somewhere.

by **MSUDuo** » December 6th, 2011, 2:20 pm

7+9= 16

CUSA and MWC merge to form their 16 team conference...

by **BirdmanBB** » December 6th, 2011, 2:31 pm

MSUDuo wrote:7+9= 16

CUSA and MWC merge to form their 16 team conference...

The travel would be absolutely brutal but that would make a conference composed of.

East Carolina
Marshall
Memphis (amazed they didn't get an invite over SDSU, but i guess boise needs a partner)
Rice
Southern Miss
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UTEP
Air Force
Colorado St.
New Mexico
UNLV
Wyoming
Fresno St.
Nevada

.....that would span the U.S. worse than what the Big East is doing now Unless they split into divisions and only played a couple games accross them.

I can see MWC going after Utah St. now and maybe Hawaii. The WAC could end up dissappearing.

by **MSUDuo** » December 6th, 2011, 2:52 pm

BirdmanBB wrote:
MSUDuo wrote:7+9= 16

CUSA and MWC merge to form their 16 team conference...

The travel would be absolutely brutal but that would make a conference composed of.

East Carolina
Marshall
Memphis (amazed they didn't get an invite over SDSU, but i guess boise needs a partner)
Rice
Southern Miss
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UTEP
Air Force
Colorado St.
New Mexico
UNLV
Wyoming
Fresno St.
Nevada

.....that would span the U.S. worse than what the Big East is doing now Unless they split into divisions and only played a couple games accross them.

I can see MWC going after Utah St. now and maybe Hawaii. The WAC could end up dissappearing.

I don't think it's that bad. You have one Cali team(or two, since Reno is on the western side of Nevada) and a couple of eastern teams. The rest are mountain and midwest teams.

With 16 you'd have to go with division anyways. Move UTEP to the western division and you could play one across to get to 8 conference games. Teams fly everywhere anyways so flying from ECU to Nevada isn't all that much worse than flying from ECU to UTEP or Rice or Tulsa

Of course I'm an idiot and think in football terms only...You're right, this would be brutal for all other sports :Yea!:

by **SubGod22** » December 6th, 2011, 2:57 pm

MSUDuo wrote:
BirdmanBB wrote:
MSUDuo wrote:7+9= 16

CUSA and MWC merge to form their 16 team conference...

The travel would be absolutely brutal but that would make a conference composed of.

East Carolina
Marshall
Memphis (amazed they didn't get an invite over SDSU, but i guess boise needs a partner)
Rice
Southern Miss
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UTEP
Air Force
Colorado St.
New Mexico
UNLV
Wyoming
Fresno St.
Nevada

.....that would span the U.S. worse than what the Big East is doing now Unless they split into divisions and only played a couple games accross them.

I can see MWC going after Utah St. now and maybe Hawaii. The WAC could end up dissappearing.

I don't think it's that bad. You have one Cali team(or two, since Reno is on the western side of Nevada) and a couple of eastern teams. The rest are mountain and midwest teams.

With 16 you'd have to go with division anyways. Move UTEP to the western division and you could play one across to get to 8 conference games. Teams fly everywhere anyways so flying from ECU to Nevada isn't all that much worse than flying from ECU to UTEP or Rice or Tulsa

Of course I'm an idiot and think in football terms only...You're right, this would be brutal for all other sports

I think that's why past talks have been about this type of merger being football only and the conferences remaining independent from each other for all other sports. It's also why CUSA has said they'd consider non football additions to the conference. I believe that only happens if this merger/alliance happens.

by **DoubleJayAlum** » December 6th, 2011, 3:36 pm

SubGod22 wrote:This move could make the WCC stronger in basketball. SDSU and Boise I'd think will both end up there. Where else could they land? What other conference on the West Coast don't play football?

I doubt WCC wants either of them, but certainly not Boise.

Boise probably goes to the Big Sky, along side their state school Idaho St.

SDSU could end up in the Big West, if the WCC has no interest.

CUSA and MWC have already announced a "scheduling alliance" in all sports. Don't be surprised if some sort of merger takes place for football.

After watching the problems that the Big East is experiencing, I find it extremely unlikely that a conference will have much interest in mixing Fb and non FB schools in the future. It also looks like the Big East is here to stay.

Time to get on the horn with the A10 and try to get a challenge put together. Unfortunately, I think the A10 would opt for an alliance with the CAA first due to proximity, not to mention recent bball success.

by **TNMSUFAN** » December 6th, 2011, 3:49 pm

I believe next year is the last year of the MVC/MWC challenge contract anyway so it won't change much if this isn't going to happen until 2013

by **havoc** » December 6th, 2011, 3:49 pm

DoubleJayAlum wrote:
SubGod22 wrote:This move could make the WCC stronger in basketball. SDSU and Boise I'd think will both end up there. Where else could they land? What other conference on the West Coast don't play football?

I doubt WCC wants either of them, but certainly not Boise.

Agreed. All WCC schools are private schools and apart from BYU, all are less than 10,000 in enrollment. BSU or SDSU would be the odd ducks in that mix.

BSU would be competitive in the MVC for basketball, but that discussion is over as soon as distance is taken into account.