West Virginia Big 12: Why the Mountaineers Should Wave Goodbye to the Big East

With reports surfacing that the Missouri Tigers could soon be leaving the Big 12 for the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference, word is that Big East powerhouse West Virginia could be a potential replacement.

Texas A&M recently made the transition from Big 12 to SEC, and now Missouri seems destined for the same fate.

PowerMizzou.com mentions that BYU and Louisville are two other teams that the Big 12 will likely consider to replace the Tigers if they indeed jump ship.

However, it's safe to assume that West Virginia would be their first choice, and if the Big 12 does in fact invite the Mountaineers to join the conference, the program would be wise to wave goodbye to the disappearing Big East.

Since joining the Big East back in 1991, West Virginia has slowly emerged as the class of the conference, having won six Big East conference championships in football dating back to 1993. In the last eight seasons, the Mountaineers have won five Big East titles and seem poised to do it again in 2011.

West Virginia has recorded four 11-win seasons since joining the conference two decades ago and has recently watched teams like Syracuse and Pittsburgh announce their departure, only subtracting from the conference's already depleted competition.

The Big 12 would provide the Mountaineers with a huge stage to present themselves to the rest of college football, while at the same time giving them an escape route from a fast-dissolving forgotten football conference.

The Big East will continue to be slighted by the BCS for seasons to come, and a program like West Virginia only suffers from a lack of credible conference opponents. The Mountaineers wouldn't have to schedule teams like LSU to prove their BCS worth. A Big 12 schedule would give the Mountaineers the opportunity to showcase their strength week-in and week-out.

The Big East will likely be around when the dust settles for those teams with nowhere else to go, but West Virginia is not one of those teams.

The Big 12 could use the Mountaineers just as much as they could use it. With Syracuse and Pittsburgh making the move to the ACC, West Virginia's basketball program would also be better suited for the Big 12, where they could face off against Texas and Oklahoma in January conference games.

If Missouri gains acceptance into the SEC, West Virginia would be best suited for the future by waving goodbye to the Big East and hello to the Big 12.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter @_Pat_Clarke