The Big East seems determined to make sure that they are that loser.

Why would Boise want to join the Big East when there is so much uncertainty? The only way the Big East survives at this point is to shift the burden of instability to another conference by a multi-school add. I don’t see a way where they 1-school, or 2-school their way to viability again.

I don’t disagree with you that this conference would be the weakest of the AQ conferences, just as it always had. Simply because you’re the last to qualify for something, in this case AQ status, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it. Along with that they aren’t miles behind the ACC. No offense, but without VT nobody from the ACC has done anything noteworthy for a while.

I disagree with your assesment of the quality of football from the conference. I would think several of these teams would fare better than you believe in another conference, but that can’t be proven. Outside of the SEC nobody has more than a couple of teams that are great year in and year out. I’m not saying any of them would win the SEC, but some I feel most have a shot at being above .500 in the other AQ conferences.

WVU and Boise have been consistent top 25 teams. (I’ll conceed Boise could have problems once Kellen Moore graduates). The rest of the group have had up and down years recently but at least flirt with national rankings.

I’d also like to see the backlash when the BCS attempts to pull the AQ status from a conference w/ 2 out of 3 military academy.

As my final argument I’ll refer to the thumbs up/down. At least a couple out there agree with me so I am not completely crazy.

Out the list of this list of schools:

East- WVU, USF, Uconn, Rutgers, UCF, Navy
West – Boise, Air Force, SMU, Houston Louisville, Cincinatti

Explain this conference should get an AQ status.

WVU and Boise are the only football relevant schools in this list.

If these schools played against SEC, ACC, Big 12, or PAC 12 schools they would all be less than .500 let alone deserve AQ status.

The AD at Air Force admits that they turned down the BIG 12 due to the fact they couldn’t compete yet they would be the 3rd to 5th best program in this conference.

This will be a non-AQ conference and Boise will still be on the outside looking in.

No offense, but be realistic about how good the conference would be. 0 national titles would be competed for or won out of this conference so I would say non-AQ is an easy judgement.

I would add that the WVU, Boise, Louisville will be heading else where to actually be relevant in the national scene. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I suggest the NCAA raise the standards or create more stringent criteria to become a D-1 program or create a higher level and have just the major programs be involved like 64 teams Power D-1 level. Certain programs shouldn’t be at the D-1 level.

East- WVU, USF, Uconn, Rutgers, UCF, Navy
West – Boise, Air Force, SMU, Houston Louisville, Cincinatti

They would still big the Big Least but probably would keep AQ status. It is better to be the BCS laughing stock than completely irrelevant.

After today you have lost Syracuse, Pitt, and now TCU. Schools like WVU (SEC or Big 12 rumored),Louisville(ACC or Big 12 rumored), and UConn (ACC and publicly pleading to join) will be the next to leave. Unfortunately the BIG East doesn’t have any anchor schools such as Oklahoma or Texas like the BIG 12 , ACC, or SEC so I believe they should join the ranks of WAC, MWC, Conference USA, and other in the non AQ category.

I think the BIG East for publicly firing the starters pistol in a race with the BIG 12 and ACC to either survive or fold. I am confident that the BIG EAST will fold or merge with Conference USA. The BIG 12 has re-organized and with the revenue sharing, forfeiting 6 years of TV rights as an exit penalty, adding TCU, and even Texas scaling back the LHN (won’t show high school content) they are back on the verge of stabilizing and rebuilding.

The BIG LEAST announcement will hopefully add a sense of urgency to the BIG 12 to invite 2-3 or more members.

The talk of the BIG 12 having meetings about whether to stay at 10 or go to 12 is ridiculous. 10 team leagues without championship games = unstable and have members with wandering eyes and open ears….

12 teams is the bench mark. Get to it Big 12!