Boise State Football: Move to the Big East? Why That Could Backfire

Rumor has it that the Big East is possibly looking to add Boise State as a "football only" member of its conference. 

Of course, this is because the Big East is losing football playing schools right and left. 

Syracuse and Pittsburgh have already said they are leaving the Big East for the ACC.  Connecticut has said they are looking to leave if they get the chance, also for the ACC.  Then there was news this week that TCU will probably leave the Big East before it even arrives after receiving an invite from the Big 12. 

So where does that leave the BCS automatic qualifying conference, also known as the Big East?  In a tail spin. 

That is where Boise State comes in.  According to the report, the Big East is looking at Boise State, Air Force and Navy as "football only" members.  In addition to football only members, the league would then add full members Central Florida, Temple, East Carolina, and they would make Villanova move their football program up to the FBS level.  

When I read this story I couldn't help but wonder if the Big East presidents needed a geography lesson.  The Big East Conference is primarily for schools on the eastern side of the country. Boise, Idaho is just about 500 miles from the Pacific Ocean and that is the west coast, in case you didn't know. 

However, in these strange days of conference expansion craziness, anything is possible. 

Now, if Boise State were to actually get an offer from the Big East, I think there are more than a few things that they are going to have to think about.

First, Idaho is in the western part of the United States, and all of these schools, with the exception of Air Force are a long way away. 

Look at this table of distance for Boise State as a member of the Big East:

Colorado Springs, CO	1,800 Round Trip Miles
Louisville, KY	3,760 Round Trip Miles
Cincinnati, OH	3,854 Round Trip Miles
Morgantown, WV	4,416 Round Trip Miles
Annapolis, MD	4,800 Round Trip Miles
Villanova, PA	4,860 Round Trip Miles
Philadelphia, PA	4,882 Round Trip Miles
Piscataway, NJ	4,934 Round Trip Miles
Greenville, NC	5,048 Round Trip Miles
East Hartford, CT	5,148 Round Trip Miles
Orlando, FL	5,222 Round Trip Miles
Tampa, FL	5,258 Round Trip Miles

Average travel distance for BSU: 4,498 Round Trip Miles per away game

Which means in any given season the Broncos would have to travel about 27,000 miles to participate in the Big East in football.  Unless, the Big East finds some way to separate into two divisions, and only makes BSU travel to three or four Big East road games.  If that were to happen it would mean about 13,400 miles for three games and just over 18,000 miles for four away games.    

Compare that to the Mountain West starting next year with the additions of Hawaii, Fresno State, and Nevada.  The Broncos would travel an average of 2,058 miles round trip for league play.  However, that number drops to 1,490 miles on average the years that they will not have to travel to Hawaii.  

Also, with fewer teams in the MWC than the Big East, BSU would only have four or at the most five travel games in the Mountain West.  This would mean for league play they would travel an average of 8,000 to 10,000 miles per Hawaii season, and approximately 6,000 to 7,500 miles on years they don't travel to the Islands.

Either way you look at it, the cost of travel will increase greatly if the Broncos join the Big East.  Not only that, but how will traveling those distances on a regular basis effect the Broncos Football team?  For years they traveled great distances in the WAC and did just fine, but the competition in the Big East is certainly a step up.  

Now, putting the travel behind what about the question of the conference itself?  

Rumors have Louisville, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Air Force all being looked at by the Big 12 for possible invitations.  If these schools were to leave the Big East, and in Air Force's case, never join, what would that mean for the conference?  I will tell you what it would mean.  Bye Bye BCS automatic qualifier. 

Not to mention, even with the current schools all staying in the Big East and the addition of Air Force, Central Florida, Temple, East Carolina and Villanova, what makes you think they will get the nod over the Mountain West Conference then next time BCS calculations are done?

Here is where it could all backfire for the Broncos.  If the Broncos were to join the Big East and even some of those schools depart the conference for the Big 12 or another conference, how ironic would it be if the Mountain West then got the sixth BCS automatic qualifying conference designation? 

Where would the Broncos be then?

My advice, would be to ride this out a while.  See how things are really going to pan out.  The Mountain West is in a position where if they were to add a few teams like Houston, SMU and Tulsa, they may very well beat out the Big East for that last automatic qualifying spot. 

I just don't think jumping quickly at a Big East invite, if it does come, is the answer. 

I think if BSU just waits until the game of musical conferences is over, they will know what to do.  If the Big East collapses, the Mountain West is in position to reap the benefits.  If that doesn't happen BSU can always work a television deal with ESPN and go independent. 

There are many options, I just hope the Broncos don't jump at the Big East to find that Lucy moved the football.  Then Charlie Brown would find himself flat on his backside wondering what had happened.