Big East Expanding to 12: SMU and Houston in play

Harry · October 10, 2011

The Big East is preparing to reach far and wide to get to its newly stated goal of 12 football schools, with Boise State, Air Force, Houston and SMU all under consideration now as expansion candidates following a conference call of league chancellors and presidents today.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/10/big_east_expansion_update_bois.html

Baby Arm! · October 10, 2011

Ok assuming SMU and Houston go the the BEAST, and we get an invite to CUSA. Does a CUSA sans Stangs and Coogs do us much better than the Belt currently does?

Mad Hatter · October 10, 2011

Even without SMU and Houston, we've still got a heck of a lot better name recognition with the remaining schools. It could only help attendance.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 10, 2011

Ok assuming SMU and Houston go the the BEAST, and we get an invite to CUSA. Does a CUSA sans Stangs and Coogs do us much better than the Belt currently does?

I don't think it would be significantly more competitive, but the opponents would still generate more fan interest.

Rice, Southern Miss, Tulsa, UTEP, Memphis, Marshall > FAU, FIU, ULM, MUTS, etc. as far as fan interest.

It seems it would also blow the doors off the Belt as a basketball conference.

Eagle1855 · October 10, 2011

Ok assuming SMU and Houston go the the BEAST, and we get an invite to CUSA. Does a CUSA sans Stangs and Coogs do us much better than the Belt currently does?

Yes.

It doesn't matter how well the Belt teams do, they'll always be perceived as lower-tiered academic schools and second-rate athletic programs.

Jonnyeagle · October 10, 2011

Ok assuming SMU and Houston go the the BEAST, and we get an invite to CUSA. Does a CUSA sans Stangs and Coogs do us much better than the Belt currently does?

Oh yeah. It's not the best case scenario for us, but it's worlds better than the Belt. Name recognition will bring tons more fans and national perception would increase drastically. The Sun Belt will always be looked down upon.

mgfan · October 10, 2011

If they lose two then don't you think they will need to add at least two more members....maybe UNT/La.Tech?

Mean Green 93-98 · October 10, 2011

If they lose two then don't you think they will need to add at least two more members....maybe UNT/La.Tech?

If they lose both SMU and Houston, I would think UNT and La. Tech would have to be their first choices to replace them. Who else would come before them?

playoffpush · October 10, 2011

I'm pretty sure in that scenario that UNT would be a lock.

LongJim · October 10, 2011

Ok assuming SMU and Houston go the the BEAST, and we get an invite to CUSA. Does a CUSA sans Stangs and Coogs do us much better than the Belt currently does?

Yes. 2 Texas schools would remain. Drivable games at Tulane, Tulsa, UAB and USM.

Comet7745 · October 10, 2011

I don't think it would be significantly more competitive, but the opponents would still generate more fan interest.

Rice, Southern Miss, Tulsa, UTEP, Memphis, Marshall > FAU, FIU, ULM, MUTS, etc. as far as fan interest.

It seems it would also blow the doors off the Belt as a basketball conference.

Exactly. The level of play might be marginally better, but the competition would be much more intriguing I would think.

Mean Green Matt · October 10, 2011

We. Need. Butts. In. Seats.

Cooley · October 10, 2011

We could finally put SMU talk behind us!

Aquila_Viridis · October 11, 2011

This is not quite as straightforward as the MWC invite, but if a CUSA (less SMU and Houston) invite comes, we still take it UNLESS there is also a MWC invite on the table. There are enough more recognized programs still in there, it is a NO BRAINER over Sun Belt.

Wag Tag · October 11, 2011

The Big East is preparing to reach far and wide to get to its newly stated goal of 12 football schools, with Boise State, Air Force, Houston and SMU all under consideration now as expansion candidates following a conference call of league chancellors and presidents today.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/10/big_east_expansion_update_bois.html

SMU and Houston better be praying that the BE can survive. ! It is there only option! Hopefully this opens the door to CUSA and the MWC. MWC because they don't have any options for DFW. We should also hope the BE survives.

emmitt01 · October 11, 2011

We. Need. Butts. In. Seats.

You have it backwards. You only support your team if their opponent is interesting. If we can get to CUSA we will automatically sell out our new stadium (which by the way was the solution for the "people don't show up because of Fouts" excuse). Right?

MCMLXXX · October 11, 2011

If they lose both SMU and Houston, I would think UNT and La. Tech would have to be their first choices to replace them. Who else would come before them?

They also lose a Florida school. I would expect FAU or FIU and then two western schools. NT replaces SMU and I would not rule out UTSA as the second.

Edited October 11, 2011 by MCMLXXX

Mean Green 93-98 · October 11, 2011

SMU and Houston better be praying that the BE can survive. ! It is there only option! Hopefully this opens the door to CUSA and the MWC. MWC because they don't have any options for DFW. We should also hope the BE survives.

Yes, we should. The collapse of the BE would pretty much eliminate the possibility of vacancies opening up for us in a better conference.

But I really don't understand all those who are predicting the football death of the BE. It seems they ought to be able to pick and choose anyone they want out of C-USA; and the service academies, Temple, and Villanova are also good possibilities. They'll probably lose their BCS AQ bid, but they'll still clearly be above C-USA.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 11, 2011

They also lose a Florida school. I would expect FAU or FIU and then two western schools. NT replaces SMU and I would not rule out UTSA as the second.

I was focusing specifically on the replacements for Houston and SMU if they leave . . . it's a whole other discussion regarding replacements for ECU and UCF.

I'd hate to admit it, but you may be right about UTSA being a possibility. But I still see UNT and LaTech as being above them in the pecking order.