ESPN ALERT: NAVY TO JOIN BIG EAST IN 2015 FOR FOOTBALL

[MrMustang1965]

Just announced via ESPN alert. Navy plans to join BE in 2015 in football.

[Pony ^]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

[Pony ^]

There goes any hope for a perfect season in the future

[CalallenStang]

There goes any hope for a perfect season in the future

They will be in a different division than us

[skyscraper]

http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssports.c ... 2/34545438

In December, Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk told CBSSports.com Navy would be joining the Big East as a football-only member but wasn’t sure when.

The Midshipmen have made that decision.
On Tuesday, Navy will announce it is joining the Big East as a football only member in 2015, sources told CBSSports.com.

The Big East is adding Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members and UCF, Houston and SMU as all sports members in 2013, but Gladchuk previously said it was unlikely Navy could restructure its myriad of scheduling and television contracts by then.

"We’re breaking away from a lifelong commitment as an independent and we have a better television deal than a lot of conferences," Gladchuk told CBSSports.com last month. "We can’t do that without a mutual understanding with the Big East. The good news is [Big East commissioner] John [Marinatto] as been receptive of talking this though."

With the addition of Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, UCF, SMU and Navy and the departures of West Virginia, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, the Big East will have at least 11 football members when Navy joins in 2015. There’s a possibility the league could add another member for the 2013 season, sources said.

[AusTxPony]

Good news, now let's get Air Force in 2015 as well.

[PonyKai]

Watch the NCAA or BCS try and take away a seat at the table from military academies & Notre Dame. Try it, I dare you.

[Water Pony]

This is great for BE. USNA travels well, plays well and will always be competitive. If they are in the East, how will the division membership look:

East:

CT
Rutgers
Navy
USF
UCF

Swing Members:

Cincinnati (wants to be paired with Louisville)
Louisville (wants to be in with Florida Schools)

West:

Boise State
Houston
San Diego State
SMU

So, who will be 12th school? Temple, Air Force (rethinks rejection?) and/or BYU again?

[goldenstang]

If Air Force comes along, I say screw geography and throw Navy in the west. They like to play a national schedule anyway and it would eliminate the need for a crossover game between Air Force and them.

[mustangxc]

Plus you keep Louisville and Cincinnati happy as they get to be in the same division!

[goldenstang]

Exactly

[Water Pony]

If Air Force comes along, I say screw geography and throw Navy in the west. They like to play a national schedule anyway and it would eliminate the need for a crossover game between Air Force and them.

Navy and Air Force as Division members solves everything, but geography. Imagine Navy playing in San Diego, Dallas, Colorado Springs/Denver, Boise and Houston every other year? Not too shabby for the Middies and us for that matter. AFA and Navy would help fill Ford Stadium too.

Navy keeps Notre Dame and Army on their schedule along with 3 East Division members each year, i.e. one Florida, one Ohio River and one with CT or NJ (Rutgers). A nice, balanced national schedule. Perhaps ND can be persuaded to drop Pittsburgh and play a few more BE games to help their Conference mates in others sports?

This fall BE TV markets will be even more attractive during upcoming negotiations.

[Stallion]

Academies love to recruit Texas. They are always trying to get games down here. Navy added Texas St series. They also played NTSU, Rice and SMU every year

[jtoutloud]

Any chance that Notre Dame football would join up?

[Water Pony]

Any chance that Notre Dame football would join up?

No, but we would enjoy their commitment to play at least three or more BE FB opponents a year to help their BB and other sports brethern. They will still play Navy every year anyway and, hopefully, will drop Pittsburgh with the Panther's departure to ACC.

Since ND already schedules Big Ten country (UM, MSU and Purdue each year), then they can go to Florida (USF/UCF), Texas (SMU/Houston) and perhaps Air Force, if the Falcons change their mind after seeing what Navy gains by their move in 2015. The Irish schedule could easily drop the other scheduled ACC games, such as Maryland and Wake Forest more recently.