Who should replace Rutgers when the Big10 takes them?

[Markeymark]

Clearly, Notre Dame isn't joining.

I think you're right, but it's also clear that ND's glory days are behind them unless they want to lower recruiting standards - right now (in football, at least) they are basically Duke with a big TV contract + fan following. I don't think ND is interested now, but in a few more years they might be singing a different tune...

[Apis Bull]

The only way ND, "sings a different tune" is if NBC doesn't renew the TV deal and no other network picks them up, and the BCS changes its allotment to them.

[Danm1983]

The only way ND even CONSIDERS budging on its current position is if NBC pulls their contract. Regardless of how Brian Kelly does with the football team, people are going to tune in, so here's to hoping that NBC just washes its hands of college football altogether. I'd say NBC may want to pick up a conference contract, but most of the big conferences have contracts that are pretty long term, so I feel they'll keep televising Notre Dame as long as they remain independent, and ND will stay indie as long as they have NBC on their side...it's win-win for them and they can remain snooty while mooching off the BE for all other sports. If they broke off and joined a conference it surely wouldn't be the BE either. They may be Catholic but they still succumb to Greed, and the Big Ten would be happy to boot someone out just to get ND in (perhaps a short lived B10 tenure for Rutgers LOL).

[Danm1983]

Also, more and more am I less concerned with the geography status of the BE, as long as we don't go picking up Boise State or something ridiculous like that. If we can keep it East of the western NE/KS/OK/TX borders, we'll be alright. Bring on TCU and Houston if possible.

It surely would be nice to have at least ONE conference/divisional opponent within an 8 hour drive, somewhere in AL/GA/FL. The road trips to the other FL schools are nice, but none of them feel like a rivalry YET.

[Apis Bull]

I know many of you hate to hear this, but UCF is the most logical choice.  Large TV market, fits geographical footprint, upgraded facilities, gives the rest of the Big East a trip to Florida every year.

[Markeymark]

The only way ND even CONSIDERS budging on its current position is if NBC pulls their contract. Regardless of how Brian Kelly does with the football team, people are going to tune in, so here's to hoping that NBC just washes its hands of college football altogether.

People won't continue tuning into a sub-par program, and NBC won't continue to pay for one forever. In any case if there's any fallout from this, it probably won't affect current discussions of Big East football...this topic is better off in its own thread.

[Cow Pie]

Lets assume that TCU would be a team the Big East would be interested in adding we would have to compete with the PAC10 whom is also looking to expand. Many assume that BYU will get the nod to join the PAC10 but I have read that many boosters on both sides are not crazy about this rumor. After BYU the PAC10 would most likely go after either Utah or TCU or both.

Personally I see the Big East adding a Memphis or UCF before they will ever consider TCU... also  :2cents but ECU sucks now that Skip left, thus they would not be a good fit for the Big East.

[Atlanta Bull]

I agree. I think  UCF is #1 on the list with Memphis #2. Temple already had a shot in the BE and failed.

[Danm1983]

The problem I've heard about BYU is that their rule of not playing sports on Sundays is a bit of an inconvenience but really only for baseball or basketball, most other sports could be scheduled around that. BYU is a highly religious institution, and it goes against alot of the liberal tilted minds that reside in California and the west coast in general. BYU overall has great athletics and academics though, but too many people feel the political differences will keep them out.

Utah is a good choice. People keep mentioning Colorado, but mostly because of the TV market of Denver and the big-time-state-school that the Buffs are. Geography wise out of place, but CO to the coast isnt much farther than AZ to WA. I don't think CO will leave the lucrative B12 though.

The Pac 10 likes to take its schools in pairs though. Whether they continue this is unknown, but BYU and Utah would make a great pairing, and the Holy War games in football and basketball are pretty well watched. If BYU gets left out and the Pac 10 strays from it's usual setup, they may take Utah and UNLV and lock up the SLC and Vegas TV markets. It would give them 2 more states to recruit in and those schools aren't too bad.

I doubt the Pac 10 goes for TCU though. If the Pac 10 takes Utah, BYU, or both, it will definitely weaken the MWC, and TCU would be dumb to not accept an invite by the Big East. The only thing we have to hope for is that that Big 12 doesn't lose a team to the Big Ten, because they'll surely go for Houston or TCU.

I'm almost hoping more and more that Rutgers goes to the Big Ten, if it were to help our case to pick up Houston and TCU to make 9 teams. And those 2 are solid picks. Then adding UCF, Memphis, and ECU or Southern Miss would probably not be looked as much of a bad move, because at the least, we picked up 2 big Texas schools and TV markets, a huge school of potential with UCF and their TV market, and then 2 out of 3 of the Memphis/SoMiss/ECU won't be horrible.

[Cow Pie]

The problem I've heard about BYU is that their rule of not playing sports on Sundays is a bit of an inconvenience but really only for baseball or basketball, most other sports could be scheduled around that. BYU is a highly religious institution, and it goes against alot of the liberal tilted minds that reside in California and the west coast in general. BYU overall has great athletics and academics though, but too many people feel the political differences will keep them out.

Utah is a good choice. People keep mentioning Colorado, but mostly because of the TV market of Denver and the big-time-state-school that the Buffs are. Geography wise out of place, but CO to the coast isnt much farther than AZ to WA. I don't think CO will leave the lucrative B12 though.

The Pac 10 likes to take its schools in pairs though. Whether they continue this is unknown, but BYU and Utah would make a great pairing, and the Holy War games in football and basketball are pretty well watched. If BYU gets left out and the Pac 10 strays from it's usual setup, they may take Utah and UNLV and lock up the SLC and Vegas TV markets. It would give them 2 more states to recruit in and those schools aren't too bad.

I doubt the Pac 10 goes for TCU though. If the Pac 10 takes Utah, BYU, or both, it will definitely weaken the MWC, and TCU would be dumb to not accept an invite by the Big East. The only thing we have to hope for is that that Big 12 doesn't lose a team to the Big Ten, because they'll surely go for Houston or TCU.

I'm almost hoping more and more that Rutgers goes to the Big Ten, if it were to help our case to pick up Houston and TCU to make 9 teams. And those 2 are solid picks. Then adding UCF, Memphis, and ECU or Southern Miss would probably not be looked as much of a bad move, because at the least, we picked up 2 big Texas schools and TV markets, a huge school of potential with UCF and their TV market, and then 2 out of 3 of the Memphis/SoMiss/ECU won't be horrible.

All good points... I hope we do get TCU but doubt that the bball schools will go for a team that far west. Personally in my eyes Texas is a Southern State and not a Western one so I would be very happy with them or Houston coming into the fold.

Here is something about TCU I did not think about... would the catholic schools want a protestant University in the Big East?