I don't know what world you live in but the Western division is substantially stronger than the Eastern division in FB. - BSU is a Top 15 team. - Houston is a Top 15 team. - SMU was a Top 25 team until injuries to killed our season. - BYU is a legitimate program and a formern national champion. - AFA is likely to qualify for a bowl. The teams in the Eastern Division can barely qualify for bowls.
One of the news sites folllowing the merger posted the UCF issue. On thing many East Coast people forget is that Western teams like BSU, BYU, and AFA are used to travelling relatively long distances for games. Even if they were in the Pac 12, they would have some very long flights relative to what East Coast teams normally face. Since they would only be joining for football, the flights issues really isn't that bad b/c Dallas and Houston are relatively easy airports to get to. Replacing Louiseville with UCF wouldn't be much of an extra burden. The problem with the "super division" is that many of the teams don't really want to play big time football. While some do, some have given up hope (Rice) of ever being a big time player. The ones who do want to play serious FB (Memphis, ECU, and Southern Miss) will always want to escape the lesser programs.
1) So now what, foreign students can't have an interest in college football? I care about what's going on because I hope someday there will be a play-off system in college football, which would be a great show for every football fan, regardless of nationality. 2) Why do you care so much where I come from!? I was talking in terms of geography, not strength of teams... that said I know it's just me hoping for a geographicly coherent division while all the schools care about is the TV deal. That said sorry everyone for invading this discussion... just wanted to post the BYU info I had found on ESPN. I'll let people who now more than me about the college landscape talk about this.
http://espn.go.com/college-football...gotiations-not-join-big-east-according-report So now that BYU said no the Big East is moving on and trying to convince San Diego State -.-"
Big East will add Boise, San Diego St, Houston, UCF, SMU Wednesday. Will join league in 2013 so much for the fools...big east bites the dust?...really
so do you think a BE with Boise, SDST, Houston, UCF and SMU is as good as the one with SU, Pitt, and I'll add Miami, VT, BC (to balance the numbers)? I don't think that even keeps Uconn and Lville from bolting when they get a chance. This story is not over yet!
Big East isn't done yet either, they will add Air Force in a couple of days and then three years from now when they allow those teams you mention to leave they will add three more. Yes, I think it will be better without them when it's all done..at least in football.
So the big EAST is adding teams from California Texas and Idaho? Who are they kidding this is conference USA v 2.0
Really Airforce? If that gets you excited you have issues. My point is the BE was a top 5 or 6 conference in all of college morphing into a so-so mid major conference. Just a few months ago they were talking a 5 year billion dollar football tv contract with ESPN until ND screwed it all up and voted it down. Do you think the teams they just added are going to be able to get them that deal? I guess the term "done" is debatible but they are no where near getting that type of deal in 2013. let alone banking it next year like they would have been.
Your nuts... adding SDSU, UCF, SMU, and Houston does nothing. The only school worth a crap is Boise and when they lose Kellen Moore they'll fall back to the pack. Houston loses Keenum and probably Sumlin and we saw what they truly were last year w/o Keenum. A 5-7 team. SDSU has had 2 winning seasons in about 15 years. UCF, nice program but no major program. SMU... ha, they average about 11K fans to their stadium. They're mediocre at best. The only schools with winning records SDSU has beaten the last 2 years are service academies. That's a great way to replace Pitt. Oh wait it gets better, UCF, Houston and SMU basketball are RPI killers. I'm sure Nova and Georgetown are thrilled about that garbage. Like KB said, it's not over and when Louisville, Uconn and Rutgers bail on that conference in 2 years we'll see.
Basically it's a looong agony... I'm still surprised the Big 10 and 12 are sticking to 12 and 10 teams respectively... I thought they would've followed the ACC & SEC and gone to 14. In that scenario the Big East would've died as a football conference. Oh well... we'll see. I do expect Boise and Houston to be much worse than this year without their star QBs. And San Diego State is definitely no BYU.
You are missing the point. If they have done enough to keep their automatic BCS bowl bid and most pundits think that they have then this is successful even before it's finalized three years from now. They also have it set where they can have an east and west conference which will make it more appealing to other teams when they expand down the road. And I would prefer Boise's football program over the past decade to anybody who is leaving.
The BCS auto bid is not in the bank yet, Even if it is there for the short term it can go away as this continues to develop. The additions are so so at best and not an improvement what they are loosing or lost.
The AQ is good as gone which will happen thanks to the BE and their shitty brand of football, dragging down the TV numbers thanks to their no shows.
I listened to that BE conference call today... I can't make sense of any of this BCS insanity. Lets face it, lot of great football, and games to watch, especially many of the Bowl Games. Only thing left to do is enjoy the match ups. Just stop calling it a "National Championship" or "Championship Series", because to me, it feels like they are trying to pawn off that plastic trophy your fantasy team just picked up. Just hand over the money and spare everyone the extra bullshit. Sucks for LSU, BAMA, OSU, and all of the other teams that had great seasons this year, but with so much speculation, realignment, and what if's, going on within the college football atmosphere... I'm not sold on a title.
