McMurphy: UCF Thinks South Florida Is Trying to Block Its Path to Big East

[MikeG]

if they are deciding to expand to 12 football teams, they need 3 more at this time.

if Nova moves up, that leaves two spots.

for the northeast teams, strictly in terms of recruiting, what would make the most sense would be to add one more team in Florida and Texas. That would allow for a balanced schedule where all those northern teams would get to come down and play/recruit in both talent rich states more often.

So I can see where UCF and perhaps Houston might seem like a good additions to those guys.

personally, I think we are doing it for other reasons-- most likely self preservation. Otherwise, it just means splitting the BCS bowl money pie up more than we are already. The twenty team sports leagues also become an issue.

Whatever happens, all the message board chatter in the world isn't going to change anything.

[Bull Dozer]

if they are deciding to expand to 12 football teams, they need 3 more at this time.

if Nova moves up, that leaves two spots.

for the northeast teams, strictly in terms of recruiting, what would make the most sense would be to add one more team in Florida and Texas. That would allow for a balanced schedule where all those northern teams would get to come down and play/recruit in both talent rich states more often.

So I can see where UCF and perhaps Houston might seem like a good additions to those guys.

personally, I think we are doing it for other reasons-- most likely self preservation. Otherwise, it just means splitting the BCS bowl money pie up more than we are already. The twenty team sports leagues also become an issue.

Whatever happens, all the message board chatter in the world isn't going to change anything.

Or we add Nova and wait to see what shakes out with the big 12.  Or even add Nova and Houston (they are just as attractive as UCF if not more so) and then chill and see what shakes out with the big 12.  The CUSA programs aren't going anywhere so i can see us Adding Nova and staying pat for a couple years to keep tabs on Mizzou, KU, KSU, and ISU and if nothing shakes out there then extending Offers to CUSA teams.  This is Chess not checkers we aren't going to just accept programs that aren't the total package for the sake of expanding.  The only reason Nova is an option at this point is they are basically a football only invite, they are in a big media market, and their football program has actually had some success in its current level of competition. 

[DELdaBull]

But for USF fans it basically comes down to this, according to your point.  USF wants their name associated with UF, FSU and Miami.  If UF is too proud...fine.  At least FSU and Miami.  Being classed as rivals with UCF isn't sexy and even within the same conference, you don't think your fans would embrace it as a rival?  Really?  Right now...I don't see any rivalries developing with FSU, UM or UF for USF, either.

I don't see any rivalries developing with them either, but having the opportunity to play them and beat them does help raise our profile. We still have 3 more games with Miami (2 at home), a home game with FSU in 2012, and a road game to UF in 2015 left to play, so if USF were able to win mroe of these it would only help us more.

I've said all along that our more important games are our Big East games. We don't have the long histories as WVU, Pitt, etc., but we are developing rivalries with them as we play close games for a big prize.

See USF-UM pissing match thread  :

[Buller64]

Right now the BE is doing what is best for the conference.  Adding Nova would make a 10 team football conference but if they decline BE football is fine.  Adding another all sports school would unbalance the basketball schedule and distort the current balance between b-ball and f-ball. With 17 schools in B-ball the scheduling is easy 8 home and 8 away, play everyone in conference. In f-ball 9 or 10 teams work fine, since you get that 4th home game every year, which the BE does not currently have.  As the Pac-10 showed, 10 teams leagues actually have an easier time scheduling with a 5-4 split.

As for going to 12 teams, the championship game will not add too much to revenues (see ACC). So any additions after 10 teams will be based on television markets. UCF may have an argument there, but a lot depends upon what happens to the B12. If Missouri is available then they are much more attractive than UCF and Houston will be more acceptable to the b-ball schools. I think that UCF's best chance to get into the BE would be if Nova declines.

[Buller64]

Should have added that Kansas would also be better suited in b-ball and if Missouri is available Kansas would be also.