Big East Expansion: BYU, Boise State and the Future Big East Conference

Boise State has taken the next step to joining the Big East Conference. 

Thursday the Idaho State Board of Education gave president Bob Kustra permission to join the Big East as a football-only member.

Everything looks like a done deal for the move to happen. However, Boise State still will have to find a location for its other sports. Right now, the Big West looks like the front-runner for that option. Many people assumed that Air Force would be the western travel partner for the Broncos, and that may be true, but they might not be the only one. 

I already have discussed the BYU option for the Big East expansion, and you can read that article on Bleacher Report. BYU Possibly Moving to the Big East 

The latest news on the BYU story has come in small pieces that are a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, but putting them together is not that much of a stretch. 

Irv Moss of the Denver Post had an interesting article on Friday, in which he spoke about the fact that Boise State was one step closer to joining the Big East, but also made a couple of compelling statements that gave an idea of what might be going on behind the scenes. 

In the article, Moss said that the Air Force Academy had not spoken to the Big East since its meeting a little over a week earlier:

"

"David Cannon, director of public affairs at the Air Force Academy, said Thursday there has been no contact with Big East officials since a meeting in Colorado Springs more than a week ago."

 

"

So, is Air Force having cold feet? Is the Big East having second thoughts?

My opinion is no on both accounts. First, it is just a lot harder for a service academy to jump the conference ship than it is for a standard public or private university. 

In saying that, the Big East might realize that it will take some time to get the Air Force deal done, and that may be why talks with BYU keep hitting the radar screen. 

In the same article Moss briefly mentioned BYU, but what he said was compelling:

"

"Kustra indicated the final decision for Boise State could hinge on the Big East's ability to add a western segment to the conference in order to have two, six-team divisions and a championship game. Officials at BYU confirmed there have been discussions with the Big East."

"

It appears that the Big East is indeed talking to BYU, while conversations with Air Force seem to have paused for now. Again, this is probably because it would be much easier and faster to add a football independent and private university than a service academy. 

Combine this with an article from the Salt Lake Tribune's columnist Gordon Monson that gave 10 reasons BYU should join the Big East, and I think we see the puzzle coming together. 

The Big East would do well in adding the Cougars, and the Cougars would do well in partnering with the Big East. It is a match made in heaven. 

Not only that, but the rivalry and close proximity to Boise State would be a compelling feature within the western division of the Big East. Add to that Air Force, SMU, Houston and Louisville, and you have a very solid western division. 

The Big East in the not so distant future?

Western Division	Eastern Division
Boise State	Cincinnati
Brigham Young	Connecticut
Air Force	Navy
Houston	Rutgers
SMU	South Florida
Louisville	Central Florida

In the immortal words of Larry the Cable Guy; "Git 'er done."