Boise State: The Broncos' Best New Big East Rivalries

The Big East Conference should be renamed. The term "Big East" is somewhat of a misnomer simply because the geographical location of many of the teams entering the upcoming seasons is anything but east. And as it stands right now, with West Virginia gone and Pitt and Syracuse packing up and saying adios, it almost looked like the Big East had a shot at becoming the Revolving Door Conference.

So what's left? There's Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, Houston, Memphis, Rutgers, Louisville, UCF, South Florida, Cincinnati and Temple all in the stable for 2013 and Navy looking to board. The idea is two conferences with a conference championship to determine the top dog.

Boise State, despite a few noises to leave the Mountain West early and hop in for the 2012 season, will join the Big East in 2013.

OK, so who may wind up being the Broncos' biggest rivals once established in the Big East? Here are a few candidates ...

Louisville

Louisville won the Big East title in 2006 and, after a so-so 2011 season, are looking to get back into the title hunt beginning in 2012. What that essentially means is that if the Broncos want to ascend to the top of the Big East heap, the road will go through Louisville. And that sounds like the makings of a pretty good gridiron rivalry.

Houston

Case Keenum is gone, but that doesn't mean he is forgotten. Bronco fans have long memories, and they know that Keenum and the wide-open, high-scoring Houston offense overshadowed some of Kellen Moore's accomplishments on the gridiron. This might not be an overly enthusiastic rivalry, but the Broncos will likely take pleasure in trying to dispatch Houston every chance they get.

SMU

For eight seasons, SMU head coach June Jones coached at Hawai'i. Hawai'i was part of the WAC when Boise State was part of the WAC. Jones knows what the Broncos and head coach Chris Petersen bring to the table. Petersen and the Broncos know what kind of coach Jones can be; one plus one could equal rivalry.

San Diego State

This seems like it is a natural. San Diego State was a charter member of the Mountain West, played the Broncos in 2011, will play the Broncos in 2012 and will continue to play the Broncos as both programs move into the Big East. That means they have a history together; plus, San Diego State has been trying to help BSU find a home for all its other sports.

SDSU's head coach was also behind one of chief complainers of the Broncos wearing the blue uniforms on the smurf turf in the MWC for Bronco home games. That could be a sticking point.