(02-01-2019 03:39 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(01-31-2019 05:07 PM)solohawks Wrote:  The Big East would have been much better off if the initial lineup was

Providence
St John's
Georgetown
Syracuse
BC
UConn
Rutgers
Temple

Penn State and Pitt would have both been accepted and Big East football would have been formed immediately under Gavitts terms instead of Paterno's failed attempt.

If Penn St would have stayed when the Big 10 came calling, no one will know for sure but it would have been interesting and led to a northeastern all sports conference having time to lay a foundation on it's own terms

I think I read once that Seton Hall voted yes for Penn St so it probably wouldn't have changed things to replace the Pirates for the Scarlet Knights.

A dream eastern league would have been:

Penn St, Pitt, Rutgers, Temple, WVU, BC, Cuse

G'town, St John's, UConn

Miami and VT could be added later as FB onlys and eventually full members. UConn upgrades their program in 2004.

Villanova and Seton Hall get left out due to duplication of markets. BC and UConn would offer significant coverage of New England to not need Providence. Those 3 end up in a league with Duquesne, UMass, St Joe's, URI, etc.

Ideally, I think Villanova would be in there as well. Even though they duplicate the Philly market, it's a big market. Technically, Rutgers and St. John's are duplicates as well, but NY/NJ is an even bigger market.

Would such a lineup entice ND to join as a non-FB member?

Eastern Athletic Conference (8 FB, 12 BB)
Full: Boston College, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, West Virginia
NFB: Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, St. John's, Villanova
FBO: Virginia Tech (later Miami, FSU?)

Basketball divisions:

Boston College/West Virginia
Connecticut/Temple
Georgetown/Villanova
Notre Dame/Pittsburgh
St. John's/Rutgers
Syracuse/Penn State

Each team plays its 5 division mates twice, 2 crossovers (1 permanent, 1 rotating) twice, and the rest once for an 18-game schedule.