More from the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/ex...plans.html

excerpt:

"Big East plans expansion

In the first move of an ongoing process which could take as long as three years to complete, the Big East announced today that it would begin exploring the possibility of expanding its football conference to as many as 10 teams, which would be an increase of two teams from the current set up...

The Big East also said in a statement that ""the BIG EAST presidents agreed that the interests of each of the conference’s 16 member institutions would be served by increasing the number of Bowl Subdivision football-playing members to 10. They unanimously approved the process to evaluate the terms and conditions for potential expansion candidates.''

Although no one would officially say specifically what this meant, sources at the Big East said that Villanova, which participates in the Big East in all sports but FBS football--where it is a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association--indicated it was ready to make the commitment to elevate itself from FCS level--the Wildcats are the defending FCS national champion--to the FBS level as the Big East's ninth team.

TCU might be interested in the Missouri Valley.

The more I read in to this, it seems that this whole meeting/announcement was to get both the football and basketball sides to reach a common ground. All Big East members agree that the football conference needs to add at least two members...where the sides differ is in how to reach that goal. It's a step in the right direction, at least.

I'm beginning to suspect that a new all-sports member doesn't have the votes at this time, and will take some lobbying. UCF is probably the easiest all-sports sell due to their capability as a travel partner.

And another from the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette:

excerpt:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10307/1100156-142.stm

Big East will add two teams to league
Central Florida is likely front-runner

According to some sources, Central Florida is at or near the top of the list of possible candidates and likely will be involved in the finished product.

The two other early leaders are Villanova, which already is a conference member but plays football at the Division I-AA level, and TCU, which has had some preliminary discussions with the conference.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10307/110...z14Bz9TJsS

I just looked at the A-Sun conference facilities and info on Wiki. I in no way see that as a viable option for UCF currently. I don't think it would even be fair and I say that knowing that UCF isn't even historically that good in most sports and currently only holds a cheerleading national championship.

That being said, I think it would be like throwing the Miami Dolphins in the Sun Belt or something.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Sun_Conference

(11-02-2010 11:52 PM)buckaineer Wrote:  And another from the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette:

excerpt:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10307/1100156-142.stm

Big East will add two teams to league
Central Florida is likely front-runner

According to some sources, Central Florida is at or near the top of the list of possible candidates and likely will be involved in the finished product.

The two other early leaders are Villanova, which already is a conference member but plays football at the Division I-AA level, and TCU, which has had some preliminary discussions with the conference.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10307/110...z14Bz9TJsS

from that same article:
"A third, but likely unrealistic, option would add two football-only members". geez......I've seen more "unrealistic" options....then realistic options! If folks keep eliminating options....there won't be anything left!

If Villanova football joined the Big East, would Notre Dame football join the Big East?

(11-03-2010 02:39 AM)David Krysakowski Wrote:  If Villanova football joined the Big East, would Notre Dame football join the Big East?

No. However, it wouldn't surprise me to see ND schedule games against Villanova at some 'neutral' sites and of course South Bend.

(11-02-2010 11:46 PM)buckaineer Wrote:  More from the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/ex...plans.html

excerpt:

"Big East plans expansion

In the first move of an ongoing process which could take as long as three years to complete, the Big East announced today that it would begin exploring the possibility of expanding its football conference to as many as 10 teams, which would be an increase of two teams from the current set up...

The Big East also said in a statement that ""the BIG EAST presidents agreed that the interests of each of the conference’s 16 member institutions would be served by increasing the number of Bowl Subdivision football-playing members to 10. They unanimously approved the process to evaluate the terms and conditions for potential expansion candidates.''

Although no one would officially say specifically what this meant, sources at the Big East said that Villanova, which participates in the Big East in all sports but FBS football--where it is a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association--indicated it was ready to make the commitment to elevate itself from FCS level--the Wildcats are the defending FCS national champion--to the FBS level as the Big East's ninth team.

That article is probably the ONLY legit leak from yesterday,and the only one worth reading honestly. Most of the time ESPN is full of @hit.

There will be NO "football-only" invites...the BBall schools agreed to adding one more team (UCF) and Nova will move up. If Nova ends up changing their mind, TCU will be added too (despite the BBall schools hating every part of this).

In the end, the football schools got there way.

(11-03-2010 05:50 AM)saxamoophone Wrote:  

(11-02-2010 11:46 PM)buckaineer Wrote:  More from the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/ex...plans.html

excerpt:

"Big East plans expansion

In the first move of an ongoing process which could take as long as three years to complete, the Big East announced today that it would begin exploring the possibility of expanding its football conference to as many as 10 teams, which would be an increase of two teams from the current set up...

The Big East also said in a statement that ""the BIG EAST presidents agreed that the interests of each of the conference’s 16 member institutions would be served by increasing the number of Bowl Subdivision football-playing members to 10. They unanimously approved the process to evaluate the terms and conditions for potential expansion candidates.''

Although no one would officially say specifically what this meant, sources at the Big East said that Villanova, which participates in the Big East in all sports but FBS football--where it is a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association--indicated it was ready to make the commitment to elevate itself from FCS level--the Wildcats are the defending FCS national champion--to the FBS level as the Big East's ninth team.

That article is probably the ONLY legit leak from yesterday,and the only one worth reading honestly. Most of the time ESPN is full of @hit.

There will be NO "football-only" invites...the BBall schools agreed to adding one more team (UCF) and Nova will move up. If Nova ends up changing their mind, TCU will be added too (despite the BBall schools hating every part of this).

In the end, the football schools got there way.

Don't know that this article is more spot on than others. Villanova is the top target and always has been. TCU may be the next if only due to their football prominence-making sure the league is safe in the BCS has to be the "unwritten" component of their inclusion in addition to tv markets. As I have stated numerous times UCF is high on the Big East's radar and the most likely add from the usual suspects.

(11-03-2010 03:29 AM)Hoquista Wrote:  

(11-03-2010 02:39 AM)David Krysakowski Wrote:  If Villanova football joined the Big East, would Notre Dame football join the Big East?

No. However, it wouldn't surprise me to see ND schedule games against Villanova at some 'neutral' sites and of course South Bend.

Yes--a couple of ND games and VU easily meets NCAA attendance requirements. They would likely be attractive to ND as another catholic school and in a huge market with a large contingent of domer fans.

UCF is actually havily invested in all sports not just football. I don't think we would be interested in a football only invite. I know we would not return our other sports to the A-Sun. I seriously doubt TCU is gonna except a football only invite either. If that is what's on the table. Villanova ECU and Temple may be the best choice for the Big East

I think UCF could make the Colonial or the A-10 work, but the A-Sun is out of the question -- assuming even that the A-Sun would want to take us back after we dominated the place on our way out.

(11-03-2010 07:44 AM)No Bull Wrote:  UCF is actually havily invested in all sports not just football. I don't think we would be interested in a football only invite. I know we would not return our other sports to the A-Sun. I seriously doubt TCU is gonna except a football only invite either. If that is what's on the table. Villanova ECU and Temple may be the best choice for the Big East

Even schools like WVU and VT accepted football only invites into the league. If given that option no doubt UCF's administrator's would take a not so long look at it and see the benefits of football being in a BCS league. BB hasn't been a priority there anyway so doubtful that would suddenly become a driving force when talking BCS football revenues.

(11-03-2010 07:57 AM)buckaineer Wrote:  

(11-03-2010 07:44 AM)No Bull Wrote:  UCF is actually havily invested in all sports not just football. I don't think we would be interested in a football only invite. I know we would not return our other sports to the A-Sun. I seriously doubt TCU is gonna except a football only invite either. If that is what's on the table. Villanova ECU and Temple may be the best choice for the Big East

Even schools like WVU and VT accepted football only invites into the league. If given that option no doubt UCF's administrator's would take a not so long look at it and see the benefits of football being in a BCS league. BB hasn't been a priority there anyway so doubtful that would suddenly become a driving force when talking BCS football revenues.

West Virginia was a member of the Atlantic 10 in their other sports prior to getting all sports into the Big East.
Rutgers was a member of the Atlantic 10 in their other sports prior to getting all sports into the Big East.
Virginia Tech was a member of the Metro Conference and then the Atlantic 10 in all other sports prior to getting all sports into the Big East.
Temple was a member of the Atlantic 10 while playing football only in the Big East

UCF, unfortunately, does not have such attractive options for all of its other sports. If we could have all of our other sports in the Atlantic 10, no doubt we'd take a football only invite to the Big East. However, the option for our other sports is the Atlantic Sun and not the Atlantic 10. That just won't work.

Was there any timeline given for wrapping the expansion up?

UCF has zero reason to take a football-only invite. It has been made clear in numerous articles that if it comes down to an all-sports invite, UCF will get the nod. If it comes down to a football-only invite, TCU will get the nod.

UCF will either get a full offer, or no offer, and it all basically depends on if TCU can or will accept a football only invite.