Big East targets 4 C-USA schools

By The Associated Press

The Big East plans to invite four Conference USA teams to join the league in 2005, keeping the conference intact after defections of its two biggest football programs threatened to split it in two.

Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville and Marquette will be invited in November, a source close to the expansion plans told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday.

The additions of Cincinnati and Louisville would give the Big East the eight football teams it needs to keep its NCAA certification in 2005. Marquette and DePaul will join for basketball and other sports.

‘‘We’re being talked about,’’ Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said. ‘‘Is anything finalized? Absolutely not. If we do have the opportunity, it is something to look forward to. We have the utmost respect for the Big East and think it is a great fit.’’

After Miami and Virginia Tech defected for the ACC in June, the Big East schools considered splitting into two conferences — one that plays football and one that doesn’t.

The next big question for the Big East is whether it will keep its automatic spot in the Bowl Championship Series. The BCS contract expires after the 2005 season and negotiations on a new deal will begin soon.

The Big East wanted to clear up its expansion plans before those talks begin so other conferences, bowls and television executives would know what teams would be involved.

Along with the expansion, the Big East is expected to increase the exit fees for schools so the conference isn’t as threatened by expansion again.

Conference USA will have to regroup after losing two more football schools. Army is also planning to depart, which would leave the conference with eight teams.

‘‘We have had numerous healthy discussions over the last 10 days about the future of our conference and have been developing contingency plans,’’ Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said in a statement. ‘‘There are a wide variety of options that are being discussed and nothing has been decided.

‘‘I am confident, however, that, as these events unfold, we will reach consensus on a plan that positions the conference very well in the future.’’
Boston College, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia will be the other football-playing Big East schools. UConn joins the conference for football next season, which is also Temple’s last in the league.

‘‘They have a lot of prestigious universities,’’ Jurich said. ‘‘From a geography standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. Certainly from an exposure standpoint it means a lot. The Big East is one of the most successful conferences in the country without a doubt.’’

There has been no decision on how the conference will be aligned for basketball. Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova are the Big East basketball schools. The Irish are an independent in football.

 

Larry, the 49ers are Atlantic 10 bound. Not a bad move but would be better if we could eliminate Duquesne and Fordham. There is no place really along the East Coast or Southeast where Charlotte is a natural fit without football. It's the best option available for now.

As for football, where do you think UCF and USF will shake out?

 

Norman, it's a done deal if the 4 schools go to the Big East. The A-10 has to look to the future as well and protect its interests. Any lesser conferences know we aren't going there.

We'd go independent for a couple of seasons before taking anything less than the A-10. If we went SoCon, CAA or Big South, pay Eckerd College to play in Halton Arena, much less keep the building open.

 

Maybe now that dumb lady at UNCC will open her eyes and see how crucial a football program is to the overall well being of UNCC. This could..WOULD have been avoided. An invite to the Big East would be huge for UNCC.

 

Would be hard for her to accomplish, being that she died back in the spring . Miss Bonnie never was an obstacle to football at Charlotte anyway.

 

sorry.. thats always the reason I heard UNCC does not have football. I dont keep up with them enough to know

 

Bonnie Cone did in fact support a football team back in the Charlotte Center (CCUNC) days, the Owls. One coach was dismissed for being unable to financially run the "program" and the replacement coach didn't work out so the team ended. The UNCC Board of Trustees at one time dismissed the football idea about 1980 when I was in school.

Some of this info is found in Ken Sanford's book, Charlotte and UNC Charlotte: Growing Up Together. I'll search tonight for some exerpts.

 

not sure, but the tampa and orlando markets are nice.

the acc will be needing a 12th...

 

Larry, would the ACC want generally a bottom feeder in athletics to shore up the Florida markets? If that's the case, why not East Carolina? Or a ECU, UCF, USF, Sou Miss, Tulane, La Tech combo gives you the makings of a decent, but not great football conference, perhaps Coastal Carolina in Conway would jump at moving up in a few years when their football program gets solid. Just pondering ideas....

 

It's important to know that Charlotte College HAD a football team back in the community college days, but the students and faculty decided to shut it down for monetary reasons. Bonnie Cone was very much in support of having football.