Big East APPROVES to evaluate expansion options

[WoolyBully]

Just not another CUSA team.

My take as well. I would imagine there are two other BCS conferences that TCU would prefer to join, but

would go with the BE based on the 'some is better than none' line of thinking. I would prefer that the BE

pursue schools from existing BCS affiliation rather than siphon off CUSA. However, as I'm not on the board...

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-football/hc-big-east-expansion-1103-20101102,0,4133184.story

[usf97]

I just hope all of this nets TCU to the Big East.....adding anyone else does not help our league outside of scheduling.

If it ends up that all this comes to is we invite UCF and Nova....that would stink. It would just make our league more WAC-like. We need a legit football representative and at present that would only be TCU and Mizzou if you could somehow get them.

I really don't see where adding Nova makes a difference. If they want to play BCS football....fine.....still add TCU and UCF if the Orlando market is so important.

[usf97]

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/extras/colleges_blog/2010/11/big_east_plans.html

I see all the UCF love in this article but where is this coming from? They are stating they have sources saying it looks like Nova will go ahead and jump to FBS and be one of the Big East teams. Ok that sounds plausible.

Then the rest of the article appears to be pure conjecture but they nearly state as fact that UCF will be the 2nd team. Really?!? Is there a source saying this? What was all of that from the NY Post about TCU?

[gibbsak]

not ucf

not memphis

some of the espn articles have those two over ECU and other potentially better teams.

i hope the big east doesn't go with ucf soley for the potential orlando market.

[gibbsak]

I think top canidates are Villanova and TCU...but I would like to see ECU and So Miss/UAB

+1

[footnfan1]

I think top canidates are Villanova and TCU...but I would like to see ECU and So Miss/UAB

+1

No way UCF gets in this round..too many implications for other B E schools...especially not wanting B ball to join...as reported by ESPN. Time will tell. Good luck against Rutgers.

[Danm1983]

No C-USA teams? So we maybe get TCU, and then look to the SunBelt? Gotcha...

The BE is what it is. We're not getting other BCS teams, and the only one that has even a 1% chance is BC.

LOL, UAB? USM? You might as well invite Western Kentucky and North Texas.

1) ECU - best overall candidate in terms of fan base, tradition, and program

2) Nova - already in the Big East but will need to build a fan base

3) TCU - would jump to another conference in a heartbeat if the conference met its geographic footprint

4) Temple - already was a member maybe a second try

5) Houston - if people in your own city call you Whooston, then that is a major problem

I left UCF off this list for various reasons: 1) it would actually hurt our recruiting, 2) they cannot get 40,000 people in their stadium, 3) they have never won a bowl, 4) it would be much like the ACC with Miami and FSU = mediocrity, having two teams in the same state really does more harm than good unless you are in Alabama, Texas, or California and most of those schools are spread out over hundreds of miles and UCF is just down the road. 

1. UCF wouldn't hurt our recruiting. Not any more than Rutgers, West Virginia, UConn, Louisville already do since they have plenty of Florida-based players. So does Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Clemson, Purdue, and others. UCF and USF will obviously fight hard for a few recruits in common, but we both have our own areas to recruits. Holtz will use his magic and turn the Tampa Bay area into a recruiting haven for USF, and he'll start to get guys that would otherwise head to UF or FSU, and hopefully he'll dip into Polk County some more (which USF has many of, but the better ones currently head to UF and Miami). UCF recruits heavily in their own metropolitan area, as well as along the east coast (space coast and treasure coast) from Jacksonville to Palm Beach, and with their coup of Miami Northwestern kids this year like Godfrey, they'll have an IN down there to get some more. Both teams can survive on FL talent, and the only recruiting I see it hurting is those of out of state teams who come in to usurp the good talent already leaving.

2. UCF does need to get its stadium more packed, but it's not much better or worse than TCU at this point though TCU is going to start a stadium expansion soon. UCF has packed the house on some occasions, but playing UAB and Rice aren't much better than USF playing WKU and FAU.

3. Neither had USF when we got the invite. This is irrelevant since they can win this year or in the future. It's not like C-USA teams have the luxury of being pitted in bowls that play MAC teams and bottom rung C-USA squads like the Big East does. C-USA winner usually gets to face an SEC team, and even a mid or lower level SEC team is far superior to C-USA teams. It would have been nice to see them hang with Rutgers in last years' bowl game, but oh well.

4. Miami and FSU being in the same state and conference has nothing to do with their recent ebb of success. Like I've mentioned before, Pitt and West Virginia don't seem to mind being 90 miles away (though they do recruit two different bases usually), and it seems to work out well for UCLA and USC, or Cal and Stanford, or KU and KSU. Most of those teams are close and seem to fare alright. I dunno about the rest of you, but I'd like to actually attend an away Big East game sometime. And not have to fly to get there.

Maybe I'm a sympathizer, but UCF should get their chance. I know it's hard to convince people of "potential" though. There will be a point where UCF beats USF in football (and maybe basketball) and yes it will suck when their fans rub it in our faces that they finally got that elusive first win. In fact, it may be a necessary evil in order for USF to get crackin' on that on campus stadium...or ramping up recruiting, or for a complacent booster to step up with a big donation. USF has the Athletic Village working right now, and the OCS is surely in the plans for sometime this decade.

I don't think UCF should be the first, or even 2nd choice, but I think they're as deserving of a shot as ECU would be, and definitely hold some edge over possible busts like Temple or 'Nova.

I really don't know who or how they should invite - but at least the BE talking heads are finally doing something.

[Guest]

I don't know why Temple isn't mentioned. The may win their conference this year, a NQ yes, but a Conference title is still a conference title. They're already a member, so it won't piss off the BB only members, and they used to play in the BE. You add Temple and Villanova and move on. JMHO.

For what it's worth, Temple is NOT a member.  They used to be a Football-only member, but were kicked out because of poor attendance.  They play football in the MAC and other sports are in the Atlantic 10.

[Joe]

Temple was kicked out for a number of reasons the biggest being that they were brutal on the field and they whored themselves out when it came to scheduling.

I don't see Temple getting another chance.

[USF Stud]

If it's 2 programs, then I'd have to think the top 2 candidates are TCU and Villanova

I totally agree