The New York Post's Lenn Robbins proposed today that the Big East has their eyes set on 12 teams for football (something we already knew) and they would be okay with an astounding 20 teams for basketball. Yes, 20 teams. Even crazier, the set-up utilizing divisions.
The Big East has studied the creation of four five-team divisions in basketball and two divisions -- East and West -- in football, The Post has learned.
Around these parts though, we're not so much concerned with the basketball aspect. More importantly, we're still trying to figure out how we're going to move up to FBS for football. We know the Big East wants 12 teams, but it's been looking more and more likely that we aren't one of the 3 teams that John Marinatto and his cronies are looking to add.
More after The Jump.
Robbins (fairly) suggests that Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri could be those three teams as the Big 12 continues to fall apart because of the Longhorn Network. With Texas A&M formally withdrawing from the Big 12 conference, and looking at the SEC as a possible home, other teams may soon follow suit. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have already been rumoured to be looking at the Pac-12, and the Pac-12 appears receptive.
If Mizzou, Kansas & K-State are the frontrunners to join TCU as the newest members of the conference, Villanova would be left on the outside looking in. However, if A&M were to join the SEC, the SEC would need to add a 14th member to balance out their divisions.
Logical thought suggests the SEC would look at the ACC and Big East to add a member with Louisville and West Virginia (who would sell their soul for that move) looking the strongest out of the Big East. If one of those teams were to bolt, that would free up another spot.
Obviously, there's no guarantee that this situation would prove profitable for 'Nova, but the prospect of 3 Big 12 teams coming over doesn't necessarily write Villanova's death sentence in their quest to move up.
The dream move is still to the ACC - but a lot needs to happen for that to even be possible. At this point, we're pretty much hoping that we have friends in Connecticut and upstate New York (Syracuse) that would let us swim in their wake if they were to be invited to the ACC.
As always, stay tuned.