If Boise State Joins Will BYU, Notre Dame? Plus 15 More Teams in New Big East.

Breaking News Update:

Boise State University and San Diego State are among five schools that will join the Big East Conference in 2013, CBSSports.com reported.

Breaking news update: BYU seriously considering joining Big East according to ESPN's Joe Schad in this report. 

Breaking News:  Idaho State Board OK's potential Boise State move to the Big East.Could the BYU Cougars be next?  Brigham Young University has a storied history as both an independent and as a former member of the WAC and the Mountain West.  

Are the Cougars set to join the Big East and if so can Notre Dame be that far behind?  Those two along with Boise State and the University of Houston would make a conference to be reckon with.  Stay tuned.

Like they would a bleeding swimmer in the waters off fictional Amity Island, the sharks (think ACC and Big 12) are circling the Big East conference.  What would Captain Quint do?  He would become the hunter, not the hunted.Many don't think the conference will survive.  But for those who have faith there is an answer.  There is a move that could be made that is both contrary to conventional wisdom but yet obviously compelling to all parties.  If executed successfully it could result in a resurgent Big East and a bidding war for the last major college football conference television package.  After all money is what it is all about. The future of the Big East is a New York City headquartered 18 team super conference in football with two divisions and a championship game in the Big Apple. View the slide show to see what divine intervention is needed to make this a reality.

Admittedly there are many pieces of this puzzle and not all of them may fall into place.  But if the first one does I think more will follow. I expect that my thoughts will be controversial to some and logical and sensible to others. Please use the comments section and let me know what you think.  Your opinion is important to me.And check my other more detailed piece on why Notre Dame will join the Big East soon. Notre Dame Football to join Big East? Here is why they need to.

Why Notre Dame will join the Big East (link)

The University of Notre Dame

Step Number One: Do Anything and Everything to Bring Notre Dame In.

Sorry my Mormon friends, the Irish faithful have you outnumbered.

Notre Dame is the key.  Entice them to bring their football alongside the rest of their sports in the Big East and the tide will turn.  Pitt, Syracuse and even West Virginia will immediately reconsider their decisions to leave and they have 27 months to think about it before they are out.  Notre Dame anchors the Western Division of the new Big East.

What makes this move possible is the 2013 expiration of the current BCS arrangement.  This writer believes that Notre Dame will no longer be afforded automatic qualifying status as an independent.  Additionally when negotiations begin in 2013 for the NBC contract which expires in 2015 Notre Dame will be offered much less than they think they are worth.

Despite those two factors the Big East still needs ND more than ND needs the Big East's BCS AQ slot.  Therefore this writer believes that ND will be able to structure a deal similar to what Texas has in the Big 12.  No other conference needs ND enough to offer what the Big East could offer. 

And if Notre Dame comes to the Big East here is what I think it will look like.

Western Division:

1. Notre Dame
   

Brigham Young (BYU)

The BYU Cougars, even Jimmer Fredette would be comfortable with this longshot addition

Holy war?  Not quite.  But BYU has national appeal and a storied tradition as a former and once again independent power.  They would certainly make ND feel at home in the confines of the Western Division of the "new" Big East.  This would also be a great intra-division rivalry with Boise State.  Not too mention any conference with BYU, Notre Dame and Boise State would certainly qualify as BCS worthy.

BYU also has a very good basketball program and the association with the Big East could only help. Which with a conference that looks like this it could make for a 3 division, 24 team Big East Basketball conference.  But more on that later.

After all the golden plates that are the basis of the Mormon faith were discovered in Palmyra, New York so maybe the Big East is some sort of homecoming.  I hope so.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU

West Virginia Mountaineers

We will neVer leave yoU?  Promise?

West Virginia left because they feared the Big East was falling apart.  If Notre Dame anchors the conference it isn't and WVU's basis for leaving is a moot point.  Do they proceed with a costly knock down drag'em out legal battle which they will lose (a WVU Law School professor added the clause about the 27 month waiting period to the Big East bylaws when B.C. and Miami left.)  Good luck getting out of that one WVU.  They will have to reconsider.

Perhaps the coin toss for the first matchup should be officiated by Tim Brown and Major Harris.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia

University of Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Bearcats

The opportunity to be part of a division with ND and WVU will assuage the Bearcats fears about being left out of the conference realignment shuffle.  Good football and very good basketball, Ohio recruiting and a large TV market.  Sign them up.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia 
4. Cincinnati

University of Louisville

The Louisville Cardinal's and Papa Johns Stadium.  Is it delivery or is it the "new" Big East

Partnering with Notre Dame, WVU and Cincinnati in the Western Division of the "new" Big East will appeal even to Rick Pitino.  Perhaps it will also get him to shut up about Memphis.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia
4. Cincinnati
5. Louisville

Boise State

The Boise State Broncos, perhaps the most successful college program of the last 10 years

The reason for Notre Dame to step up and anchor a new Big East is to have a shot annually at the conference's BCS AQ spot.  Notre Dame helps the conference keep it, but Boise State would seal the deal.  And with all you BSU haters out there they draw television ratings with national appeal. 

Besides wouldn't Notre Dame prefer battling against WVU, Cincy, Louisville and Boise State for a BCS bid as opposed to say Wisconsin, Ohio State, Nebraska and Michigan (not to mention Penn State, Iowa and Michigan State) or Florida State, Miami, Clemson and Virginia Tech?  Which schedule provides a better chance for ND to win a conference?

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia
4. Cincinnati
5. Louisville
6. Boise State

Air Force

The United States Air Force Academy.  Superior, err, ground game

While not a powerhouse program Air Force puts out consistently good, tough teams that can usually compete with anyone.  Not bad as the seventh team out of 10 in the Western Division.  Air Force can provide air assistance for Boise State and BYU making travel much easier.

Air Force along with BYU are two programs that fit with Notre Dame's traditional scheduling pattern.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia
4. Louisville
5. Cincinnati
6. Boise State
7. Air Force

University of Houston

The Houston Cougars, Potential BCS qualifier, Potential Heisman finalist, the Big East could use this attention

Case Keenum is literally rewriting the record books for college quarterbacks.  But he is not the first one.  Remember Andre Ware?  Houston has some great sports lineage between football and basketball (Phi Slamma Jamma.)  Membership in the Big East will give them an opportunity to build on and burnish those accomplishments.  Not bad when the eighth team in a 9 team division of a 18 team conference is ranked 13th in the BCS!

And besides when Houston plays BYU who wouldn't love to see a couple of "cougars" getting it on?

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia
4. Cincinnati
5. Louisville
6. Boise State
7. Air Force
8. Houston

Southern Methodist University (SMU)

SMU Mustangs, the "Pony Express" rides again

Despite Craig James I still have a soft spot for SMU.  When I was in college my dad would give me the occasional "SMU" handshake, although I think the guys in Dallas would get a $100 bill not a $20 bill.  How can you not admire how they have brought this program back from the dead?  With June Jones at the helm, and membership in the "new" Big East there is a bright future in Dallas.

With two Texas schools the Big East should be able to tap a greater pipeline of Texas talent.

1. Notre Dame
2. BYU
3. West Virginia
4. Cincinnati
5. Louisville
6. Boise State
7. Air Force
8. Houston
9. SMU

A nine team Western Division which on its own would likely pass muster as a BCS conference.

Next:  The Eastern Division of the "new" Big East.

Boston College

The Eastern Division of the "new" Big East or National Collegiate Conference:

But wait isn't Boston College in the ACC now?  Yes it is.  But after sinking to irrelevance in both football and basketball and blowing their athletics budget on travel for their Olympic sports B.C. is looking for a reason to make a change.  Notre Dame is that reason.  And B.C. isn't the only program that will have second thoughts about their conference alignment if Notre Dame Football comes to the Big East.

Eastern Division:

1. Boston College

Pitt

Pitt Panthers, won't the folks at Duke, Chapel Hill and Wake Forest look at them like they are West Virginia (no offense to WVU, it is just that Pitt folks despise you.)

Yes I know Pitt announced last month that they are going to join the ACC.  Well 27 months to think about it and Notre Dame joining the Big East are all it is going to take for Pitt to realize that they should stay.  The only reason they left is because they thought the conference was going to lose its BCS bid.  With the new two division 18 team conference that is unlikely.

1. Boston College
2. University of Pittsburgh

Syracuse University

In the ACC Syracuse will continue to have larger crowds for basketball in the Carrier dome than football

Despite how connected the student body's at Syracuse and the University of Maryland may be, Syracuse has no business being in the ACC.  They will never sniff a BCS bid in that conference when they have Virginia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Georgia Tech to play through.  Syracuse will surely stay in the Big East if Notre Dame joins and Pitt and WVU stay.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse

University of Connecticut

UConn Huskies a little too big for their tiny britches, be careful what you wish for

UConn is still in the Big East but longing for an invite to the ACC which isn't coming.  This realignment is about football and UConn with only 10 years of FBS football under their belt doesn't offer much.  They would be happy to stay in a "new" Big East with Notre Dame.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse
4. UConn

Looks like a potential NCAA Final Four bracket!

Rutgers (The State University of New Jersey)

Can you just see Snooki and JWoww cheering for the Scarlet Knights against those princesses from Syracuse?

The State University of New Jersey, aka  Rutgers, like Rodney Dangerfield, gets no respect.  The Big 10 doesn't want them and neither does the ACC.  But Rutgers is a top notch educational institution with a large student body, a newly renovated stadium and a campus located about 25 miles from Times Square.

Additionally the state of New Jersey produces approximately as many FBS scholarship signers as  New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine combined.  New Jersey has talent, Rutgers just needs a Big East that is worth some of those kids staying home for.  An 18 team, two division Big East led by Notre Dame, with a conference championship game at Yankee Stadium or the Meadowlands would do the trick.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse
4. UConn
5. Rutgers

The University of South Florida

No Bulls -..t!

It took Florida State about 25 years to rise to national prominence in College Football (1962-1987) but when they did they finished in the top five of the AP for 14 straight years ('87-'00.)  The USF Bulls are following the same trajectory.  With the University itself transitioning from a commuter school to a residential school the future looks bright for USF recruiting in the talent laden state of Florida.  They will provide a solid anchor for the Big East in that state.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse
4. UConn
5. Rutgers
6. University of South Florida

University of Central Florida

Central Florida, George O'Leary, will he be rehired by ND if Kelly flops

Central Florida has made great strides (this season not withstanding) in Conference USA, producing winning seasons and NFL talent.  With coach George O'Leary at the helm the Golden Knights success should continue.  With the natural rivalry between USF and UCF this should evolve into great magnet for the Big East in Florida.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse
4. UConn
5. Rutgers
6. University of South Florida
7. University of Central Florida

Navy

The Midshipmen, always a class act

The US Naval Academy, aka Annapolis.  Arguably the most successful of the service academies over the past 10 years and a traditional rival to Notre Dame.  Despite being in the Eastern Division of the "new" Big East, Navy and ND could still meet every year with a schedule that is a 9 team divisional round robin (eight games), two cross division games and two out of conference games (think USC, etc. for ND.)  With Air Force and Navy in the Big East look for new friends in Washington as well as a broad nationwide fan base.

1. Boston College
2. Pitt
3. Syracuse
4. UConn
5. Rutgers
6. University of South Florida
7. University of Central Florida
8. Navy

Temple University

Temple Owls, paid the price now they want back in the Big East

Temple forced from the Big East in 2004 had their come to Jesus moment.  Brilliant coaching hires in Al Golden followed by Steve Addazio has given the Owls Football program new flight.  With the potential to capture the greater Philadelphia metro area television market and a location sandwiched between talent rich south Jersey and central Pennsylvania, Temple, with their renewed commitment to football, would be a great addition as the ninth team in the Eastern Division of the "new" Big East.

The "new" Big East, Built to Survive Conference Realignment

The "new" Big East, never ever, ever, say never

Eric LeGrand was probably told at some point that he wouldn't make it. Many folks are saying the same about the Big East. Commissioner Marinatto shouldn't just be looking to replace departing teams. He should be looking to reinvent what the Big East is. An 18 team, two division football conference reaching from Florida to Idaho and Texas to Times Square. A conference championship not far from the bright lights of Broadway and a conference headquarters in New York City will not only redefine the Big East, it would make it the first "National Collegiate Conference."

The key is bringing Notre Dame into the fold. If you build it they will come.

My hope is this message gets to the Big East Commissioner's office.  The fate of the Big East and many college football traditions hang in the balance.  Act now, be brave and be bold.

Use the comments section to let me know what you think about this proposed conference.  Pro or Con, the floor is open for debate.  Let's hear it.

Check out my detailed piece on why Notre Dame will join the Big East soon. Link below.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/484192-notre-dame-footbal-the-big-east-conference-can-they-be-saved-ask-the-pope