Monday, March 17, 2008

The Big East Balancing Act

What if the Big Ten comes knocking on Rutgers' door one day, asking it to leave the Big East?

Or what happens if the Southeastern Conference decides to expand to reduce the crossover games, setting up two seven or eight-team divisions? West Virginia and Louisville would certainly be good fits.

"I always worry about that," Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said. "Our people are aware of everything that is being written and said out there."

Big East football coaches, ever aware of the possibilities after the raid of Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College by the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2005-06, would like to add a ninth team. Not only would it help balance scheduling (four home, four away, four nonconference games), adding another team would strengthen the conference's standing in the Bowl Championship Series.

"We need to keep a constant study and take a constant measure of the landscape," said Rutgers' Greg Schiano, pictured with this post. "Anything can happen, as we found out. You always have to be aware of the surrounding environment and be ready to act."

2 comments:

A.Simmz said...

They should look at a school like UCF. It would bring more geographic balance to the conference and add a pretty solid team. Notre Dame will never join the Big East for football. I'm interested to hear what you think are potential ninth members of the Big East.

greg6363 said...

The Big East boxed itself into a corner when it expanded to 16 basketball members. It will be very difficult to find a football-only member.