Big East 9th Member for Football

[USF-PMR]

We need to take two schools (Navy and Marshall, ECU and Marshall, Marshall and UCF, UCF and Navy, or any combination).

Taking 1 team for a 9 team conference will BLOW.

[RicanBull]

It would be nice to have 10 teams and split up into a north and south division and play a conf. title game at RayJay.

I mean, while we're dreamin'......

[bull2saintleo]

It would be nice to have 10 teams and split up into a north and south division and play a conf. title game at RayJay.

I mean, while we're dreamin'......

You're dreaming all right, you need 12 teams to do a division split and hold a conference game.

[Who'sYourData?]

9 teams is better for football.  That means each team plays 8 conference games per season, 4 home and 4 away.  10 teams leads to an unbalanced schedule.

[RicanBull]

True, but we aren't gonna come close to that. We would just have each division play the other 4 in the division and 4 of the 5 in the other (alternating each year).

And if we had one it would give them less reason to consider taking away the Big East BCS automatic bid. Either all the BCS conf. should have one or none of them should, and I think the sentiment is leaning towards keeping them.

[Jihme]

True, but we aren't gonna come close to that. We would just have each division play the other 4 in the division and 4 of the 5 in the other (alternating each year).

And if we had one it would give them less reason to consider taking away the Big East BCS automatic bid. Either all the BCS conf. should have one or none of them should, and I think the sentiment is leaning towards keeping them.

right, but then you run the risk of not making you conference stronger with the new team.  even worse, weaker.  for example, ECU isn't oging to be part of the discussion in "why we should keep our BCS bid".  and "ECU" can be interchanged with any non-BCS team except a select few teams, like TCU.

[usfbullcpa]

Why doesn't the BE reach out to Notre Dame and see if they would be willing to bring football in?  I know the status of ND, but with the recent strength of the program, now may be the time.

Just a thought.

[Joe]

1) Our TV contract is almost 1/2 the other east BCS conferences. So we're not going to grab any team from those conferences based on money.

2) ND won't even play our teams at a legit home and home...good luck.

There are 4 legit schools at his point. Marshall, ECU, UCF, and Southern Miss. Memphis has and outside shot, and my pick TCU would be on an island like us. Just don't see it happening.

[CowbellBandit]

I still think Navy would be a better fit than So Miss or Memphis. Definitely more than ECU or Marshall. Hell, UCF would be a better fit than those two.

[DawgPound]

Navy, like Army, has said they would like to keep their independent status.  If going the 12 championship game route isn't for you, 9 is a good number.

Marshall has worse academics than ECU, which would explain the talent drop after the conference change.  The MAC allowed non-qualifiers, CUSA does not.