Tulane to Big East?

[Dback Jon]

Tulane beat writer just tweeted that...


Big Easy in the Big East

 

[Folster]

Tulane beat writer just tweeted that...


Big Easy in the Big East

ECU as well for football only. I'm sure Cincinnati, Louisville, and U Conn are trying like hell to leave the sinking ship.

 

[Dback Jon]

Louisville to Big East announced this morning.

Likely ECU to Big East invite will be upgraded to all sports.

 

[Folster]

I assume you mean Louisville to the ACC.

Despite it's recent expansion the ACC is in real danger. The new agreement between the SEC and Big 12 to create the Champions Bowl to compete with the Pac 12 and Big 10's Rose Bowl has all but cemented the four conferences as the main/only players in any playoff format.

Florida, Miami, Georgia Tech, and Clemson are not welcome in the SEC due to opposition from intrastate rivals already in the conference. That makes them perfect candidates for the Big 12. The Big 12 offers them significantly more money than the ACC and allows them to maintain intrastate rivalries with the Big 12 and SEC relationship. I can also see Pitt going to the Big 12 to maintain their rivalry with WV. That leaves one more team to reach 16. The SEC will have their choice of Virginia and North Carolina schools allowing them to expand into new markets without upsetting current members.

The Big 12 could look like this:
Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU
Oklahoma, OK State, Kansas, K State
Pitt, West Virginia, Iowa State, ???
Florida, Miami, Clemson, Georgia Tech

Where does this leave the PAC 12? Expansion options out west are not very appealing. It's probably too late to sweet talk the OK schools into ditching the Big 12 unless they are still upset with Texas. That leaves Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, BYU, New Mexico, SDSU, and some 2nd rate Texas schools as the only options. Did Larry Scott blow it by not bringing over the Texas and OK schools when he had the chance?

Once the dominoes start falling the ACC and Big East will likely be a conference of basketball only schools and 2nd tier football programs that didn't make the cut.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.