Big East looks to expand (UH, UCF, TCU?)

[NavyCrimson]

What all this talk & movement means on the part of the schools & conferences is that the bcs-BS is hear to stay since no one on the outside is willing to do anything about it. What a shame!

Callanstang: "I expect that 7 teams (current Big XII minus Texas, OU, and ATM) will be left in that conference and will want to fill five spots. Those spots will go to, in order of likelihood: TCU (unless wrapped up by Big East), Houston, SMU, Cincinnati/Louisville/Memphis (tied in order of likelihood), Rice, UTEP, New Mexico, Colorado State."

That would be a good conference with the little 12 holdovers.

[EastStang]

First things first, the BE needs to figure out if it will make all sports invites or just football only invites. ND, Georgetown, DePaul, St. Johns, Seton Hall are not going to want their basketball pot split up among four more mouths. Also good teams are going to the NIT now from the BE and they are not going to want even more teams. So, if its a football only invite, what does TCU, UH, and UCF do for all sports. Would CUSA keep the door open for them for basketball, baseball, soccer, swimming? TCU and UH have solid baseball programs as well. UCF has a decent soccer program now. UH has some basketball street cred for a couple of final four runs. So, there are issues in all of this. But even if its a football only invite, my guess is that they all would bolt in a heartbeat, BCS money is BCS money. Now let's assume that the BE gets raided by the Big Ten and the ACC (again the ACC makes this move to hopefully stop an SEC play for FSU, Miami, Clemson and GT). That would mean that WV and Louisville might be targeted by the ACC, not sure who else due to the ACC academic issues. Also the ACC thinking like the BE might make a play for SMU/Rice (just as crazy at the BE making a play for UH/TCU). Why? Duke, Miami, Wake Forest, UVA, UNC would love a couple more private schools and access to the DFW/Houston TV markets. Or the ACC could make a pre-emptive move for TCU as the best private school available. They could offer all-sports if the BE doesn't. Its going to be silly season. Also keep in mind that the ACC and the BE may be looking at TCU to keep their auto-bid status intact.

[couch 'em]

Not sure why everyone thinks this is a bad move for TCU. Going to the Big East won't prevent them from joining the revamped leftover Big 12. If they will be an attractive add for the Leftovers in 5 years, they can leave the Big East at that time. Let's look at posibilities:

TCU still good in 5 years, stays in MWC:
They join the Leftovers.

TCU still good in 5 years, joins Big East now:
They join the leftovers, but with 5 years of BCS AQ conference recruiting and east coast media exposure and increased attendance and TV revenue

TCU sucks in 5 years, stays in MWC:
They are SOL

TCU sucks in 5 years, joins Big East now:
Still in a BCS AQ conference, still getting east coast media exposure, etc etc etc

[Nacho]

the big east will always be an aq conference. espn wants a bcs conference with mostly eastern teams. good move on their part to take tcu and the two best football teams in cusa. i didn't think south florida would let ucf in but i guess they were pressured into it. they will now have a presence in florida and texas for tv sets and recruiting.

we will probably be invited to the big 12 once it implodes which it definitely will with the unequal sharing of revenue. when some pigs are more equal than others it is a bad situation .

[West Coast Johnny]

If invited, TCU will join. Comparing the Big East with the Mountain West is like comparing ugly sisters at a bar when you are drunk. Who do you want to pare up with? I would say that the Big East top to bottom is better with Rutgers, UConn, Syracuse, S. Florida.... Compared with NCAA bottom feeders New Mexico, UNLY, CSU, etc. The MWC is better at the top with Boise State, but TCU brings credibility with them if they jump. While it is true that the Big East will probably get raded by the Big 10 or ACC, the B'East is in a better possition than the MWC to add teams. The B'East can raid C-USA teams, while the MWC would be stuck with WAC teams.

The compelling arguement for TCU to jump to the B'East are bowl tie ins including the BCS AQ. That is college football's private club and I do see the AQ conferences even further breaking away from the non-AQ in the future and any college would take the AQ status even if it meant trippling travel expenditures.

Big East Bowl Tie ins
1 Bowl Championship Series† - BCS At-Large -
2 Champs Sports Bowl Orlando, Florida ACC 3
3 Meineke Car Care Bowl Charlotte, North Carolina ACC 5
4 Pinstripe Bowl Bronx, New York Big 12 7
5a Birmingham Bowl Birmingham, Alabama SEC 8/9
5b Liberty Bowl Memphis, Tennessee C-USA or SEC 1 or 8/9
6 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Florida C-USA

Mountain West Bowl Tie ins
Maaco Bowl Las Vegas: Las Vegas, Nevada (MWC #1 pick against Pac-10 #5 pick)
Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego, California (MWC #2 pick against Navy (2010), WAC#1/2/3 pick (2011 & 2012) and Army (2013), with the WAC providing contingency selections in 2010 & 2013)
Independence Bowl: Shreveport, Louisiana (MWC #3 pick against ACC #7 pick)
Armed Forces Bowl: Fort Worth, Texas (MWC #4/5 pick against C-USA pick)
New Mexico Bowl: Albuquerque, New Mexico (MWC #4/5 pick against WAC #1/2/3 pick)

TCU to the big east isn't a done deal because the basketball tschools don't need or want more teams. Villanova is their solution.

[rich59]

Don't just assume that TCU is going to stay as good as they are now. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that someone makes an offer that GP cannot refuse. Hiring that next coach is always a crap shoot. That program could go down hill in a hurry w/o GP.

[ReedFrawg]

While I don't think the BIg East is any better in terms of football on the field, I see little downside in moving from MWC to the Big East (as spelled out by Couchem). We can always move again in a few years if we have to...

[PK]

While I don't think the BIg East is any better in terms of football on the field, I see little downside in moving from MWC to the Big East (as spelled out by Couchem). We can always move again in a few years if we have to...

Ahhh yes...instead of Horned Frogs you will be known as the TCU Gypsies.

[Charleston Pony]

no brainer for TCU to accept if invited; travel east is not too many more miles than what they have out west and the exposure is a no-brainer, not to mention the fact they would be Big East Champs...at least this year's team would have been.

Any such invite could force the Big XII to make a decision as to whether they want to return to 12 members. TCU and Houston look like the best candidates in the territory. Not good replacements for Nebraska and Colorado (fan base wise), not to mention the problem that could be created with their divisions. Would they separate Texas and OU? If so, do they schedule like the SEC and establish "permanent" opponents (Texas/OU becoming the Alabama/Tenn, Georgia/Auburn series within the Big XII)?

Why let the Big East into your back yard?

CUSA would have an issue replacing Houston, but the combo of Houston and UCF would be really tough. Don't want to lose your Fla presence. Houston could be replaced by La Tech or Ark State or even UNT if they step their game up. Don't know if you would want to replace UCF with Troy or MTSU. I would think CUSA would have to look at FAU or FIU or possibly even both?

[ReedFrawg]

While I don't think the BIg East is any better in terms of football on the field, I see little downside in moving from MWC to the Big East (as spelled out by Couchem). We can always move again in a few years if we have to...

Ahhh yes...instead of Horned Frogs you will be known as the TCU Gypsies.

We already are...what's another move? BYU and Utah are the only teams we have any rivalry with and both are gone. As much as I lack respect for the Big East, I have yet to see a truly compelling reason to say no if we are invited.

[smupony94]

While I don't think the BIg East is any better in terms of football on the field, I see little downside in moving from MWC to the Big East (as spelled out by Couchem). We can always move again in a few years if we have to...

Ahhh yes...instead of Horned Frogs you will be known as the TCU Gypsies.

We already are...what's another move? BYU and Utah are the only teams we have any rivalry with and both are gone. As much as I lack respect for the Big East, I have yet to see a truly compelling reason to say no if we are invited.

I will miss you isn't enough?

[smupony94]

BE going to 10 football teams

[RGV Pony]

I wonder how/why ECU is never brought up? They have the best attendance in CUSA.

[Charleston Pony]

I wonder how/why ECU is never brought up? They have the best attendance in CUSA.

not top 25...although they might allow the Big East into the Carolinas for TV markets

[RGV Pony]

I wonder how/why ECU is never brought up? They have the best attendance in CUSA.

not top 25...although they might allow the Big East into the Carolinas for TV markets

neither is Houston