(Image Source: Fox Sports)

 

BY AUSTIN FAX

You are watching multi-source sports analysis from Newsy.

Just when we thought all the conference realignment talk had been put to bed-- the Big East has announced-- it’s lookin’ west.

KIFI’s Jeff Landers gives us the lowdown on the big move by the Big East.
 

“After all the speculating, reports indicate Boise State will finally make the move to the Big East.
Boise State will join the conference as a football only school along with San Diego State. Houston, SMU and UCF will also join the Big East, but those will be for all sports.”
 

This-- after 3 teams announced earlier in the year they would be leaving the conference for greener pastures. Many think expansion will help the conference keep its automatic BCS bid, but CBS’s Dennis Dodd says the Big East may still be in big trouble.

“Four of the five new schools are basically warm bodies to keep the Big East afloat. The league is hoping the fifth, Boise, can keep the conference in the BCS big time. The question is if the league is better off with this current expansion. [The] short answer: No. Not even close.”

But ESPN’s Andy Katz suggests-- it’s less about the B-C-S and more about the C-A-S-H.

“More importantly, I’ve been told this in terms of the Mountain West schools, Boise State and San Diego state especially. They are looking to join a league that has a better television contract than the current deal that they have with the Mountain. They are hoping this will get them more money.”
 

The conference is set with 10 teams in 2012, but a writer for Fox Sports says this expansion may only be the beginning.

“The Big East isn't done. Louisville has openly said it wants out and Rutgers is prime for the taking whenever the Big Ten decides to pull the trigger. Navy is most likely the next to come aboard with Army possibly to follow.”
 

The Big East is the fifth major conference in the past two seasons to get a makeover. A blogger for the Bleacher Report says-- all the switching and swapping is getting out of hand.

“The expansion is going to create a conference that spans coast to coast, something that basically defeats the purpose of a conference anyway. [S]omething needs to be done about this problem. It's not only unfair to the student-athletes, it's unfair to the loyal fans of these wonderful institutions.”