Big East Invites 6 Schools; Intends to Keep Automatic BCS Bid

Over the past few weeks, the Big East Conference has looked at times to be in danger of losing it's automatic BCS bid with the loss of Pittsburgh, Syracuse, TCU, and West Virginia.  It has also negotiated with schools from both Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference to rebuild the struggling conference.  Today, it was announced Air Force, Boise State, Central Florida, Houston, Navy, and SMU were invited to join the Big East.  Air Force, Boise State, and Navy would become football-only members, while Central Florida, Houston, and SMU would become full-time members.  The Big East is also interested in Temple and Memphis as a 12th member so the conference can institute two divisions and a conference championship game for their football playing schools.  The proposed divisions would include Air Force, Boise State, Houston, SMU, Cincinnati, and Louisville in the Western Division, and Connecticut, Central Florida, Navy, South Florida, Rutgers, and either Temple or Memphis in the Eastern Division.  The move should strengthen the conference and establish the conference as an all-sport conference, instead of only as a powerhouse basketball conference.