The Temple Owls are likely to join the Big East conference in all sports in 2012, NYTimes.com and CBSSports.com have reported.
The Big East is desperate for another school to fill in for West Virginia after the Mountaineers were released to compete in the Big 12 in 2012. Sources told CBSSports.com that the deal with Temple “is done.”
If Temple joins the Big East in 2012, the conference will have eight football members in 2012 and twelve in 2013. Pittsburgh and Syracuse will likely leave for the ACC in 2013, while Boise State, Houston, Memphis, San Diego State, SMU and UCF will join the Big East in 2013.
Navy joins the conference in 2015, which would bring the total football membership to 13. However, sources have told CBS that Louisville is the “…consensus choice for the Big 12’s 11th member, if the league expands, and that the Cardinals would accept an invitation to the Big 12.”
Here is a look at what the Big East will look like over the next few years with the addition of Temple in 2012 and Louisville still listed:
2012
- Cincinnati
- Connecticut
- Louisville
- Pittsburgh
- Rutgers
- Syracuse
- Temple
- USF
2013
- Boise State
- Cincinnati
- Connecticut
- Houston
- Memphis
- Louisville
- Rutgers
- San Diego State
- SMU
- Temple
- UCF
- USF
2015
- Boise State
- Cincinnati
- Connecticut
- Houston
- Memphis
- Louisville
- Navy
- Rutgers
- San Diego State
- SMU
- Temple
- UCF
- USF