The Big East will indeed expand to 12 teams, said commissioner John Marinatto on Tuesday afternoon, meaning the South Florida Bulls will soon have new rivals within the conference.
"Our Presidents voted unanimously to extend invitations to specific institutions," Marinatto said, "including both football-only and all-sport members to join the BIG EAST Conference." The statement did not name the specific schools, of course, but it's expected that the same schools whose names have appeared in rumors of late will receive invitations: the Air Force Falcons, Boise St. Broncos, Central Florida Knights, SMU Mustangs, and Houston Cougars.
It's important to note, as Brett McMurphy does, that "football-only and all-sport memberships" does not mean "non-football memberships." Bottom line: if you want to join the Big East, you had better bring your football team.
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