If BE expands to help scheduling...

[bull2saintleo]

....who should the 9th team be and why?

I personally would say either Penn State or Navy.  Both teams are good football schools.  Navy is an independant, in which being in a conference would help create schedules, and Penn State because they are the odd-team out in the Big Te...errrr Eleven.  

What do you all think?

[bull2saintleo]

Also to ponder, do you forsee a split of the BE between BE football schools and BE non-football schools?

[WoolyBully]

1. I don't think PSU has any incentive to join the BE.

It would probably be some MAC/CUSA team looking to move up. The Big Least - just throwing a little sarcasm out there -  can't draw from the ACC or SEC. They didn't reaplace Miami & VT when they took from CUSA.

HoopSplit: yep...it eventually becomes unmanagable, however, finding homes for tne non-FB...not my concern.

[T-Man]

Navy is a good answer!

[smazza]

psu yes

navy no

[BullDoug]

1. I don't think PSU has any incentive to join the BE.

It would probably be some MAC/CUSA team looking to move up. The Big Least - just throwing a little sarcasm out there -  can't draw from the ACC or SEC. They didn't reaplace Miami & VT when they took from CUSA.

HoopSplit: yep...it eventually becomes unmanagable, however, finding homes for tne non-FB...not my concern.

Well, if Depaul & Notre Dame can fit into the BE, sadly, everyone in the MAC is geographically eligible but then so is Memphis.  Eastern time zone & located in a large metro area should be a requirem'ts for the conference inclusion.  UofSC might be a school willing to jump ship.  They would be so much closer to a BSC bowl and in a great BB conference which is decently followed sport is SC.  And as a bonus, WV would have a cousin in hte league  ;D.

[Guest_Pariah]

I personally would say either Penn State

I would just try and add the New Orleans Saints. I hear they are looking for a home.

Chances are that they will raid the MAc or C-DOA if it comes to that. I hope they are at least looking into it because I doubt the Big East (as we know it today) will last long.

[Jewbull]

Why the heck would Penn St move conferences the Big 10 is a 100 times better than the big East  you would rather play UCONN, Rutgers, and Cincy then Ohio St, Michigan, Wisconsin, Get Real.  In Fact if USF could jump ship to the Big Ten I would say when does the train leave.

[SkypointBull]

None of these schools sound great to me.

But here is my ranking of realistic schools:

Memphis

Navy

Bowling Green

UAB

Miami OH

Marshall

Toledo

ECU

UCF

[Joe]

1) Memphis, never, the school is the armpit of acadmemics (we already have Louisville, isn't that enough)

2)Navy would never join a conference (see Army leaving C-USA)...this is not considerable

3)Bowling Green - see Memphis

4) UAB - possibly academics are getting better, school spends on athletics, good size TV market (30 something)

5) Miami (OH) - best school academically (besides Navy), realistically they are committed to the MAC, but if a BCS bid could be grasp they might. Town is SMALL

6) Marshall - heh, no TV market, academics suck

7)Toledo - Possibly, decent school in all aspects, founded MAC, decent market TV wise

8) ECU - would like this if they get their football program in shape, once again small TV market

9) UCF...Big East is built on TV markets, Orlando is 19th...clearly the biggest of the "realistic teams" decent academics

The Big East has built its new league on TV markets Louisville, Tampa, Cincinnati, etc. It's their biggest argument when it comes up for BCS reconsideration, no doubt in my mind UAB, Memphis, or UCF will be the 9th team if they add one because of TV markets. My gut feeling would lie with UCF...but you never know.