With the news that the Memphis Tigers - all five wins in three years of 'em - will join the Big East with Boise State in 2013, Bronco Nation would be excused for taking one look at the Tigers and thinking, New Mexico State? Adding an awful team to a conference of mostly average-to-good teams is not exactly a recipe for BCS automatic bids or, say, respect. To prove my point, check out what Mr. Dr. Saturday wrote upon hearing the news:
As the realignment dominoes settle into a sustainable status quo, that line is beginning to look much sharper. Now that there's nothing left worth poaching, the Big East is about to be left to its fate with the other Have-Not leagues that have never pretended they're anything but.
That laughter you hear is Karl Benson at his Shari's mobile office.
The Tigers and Broncos figure to be tied together in the west division of the Big East-ish along with the other newcomers and a disgruntled Louisville. To wit, here is what Boise State's conference schedule could look like in 2013:
- vs. San Diego State
- vs. Memphis
- vs. SMU
- vs. Houston
- vs. Louisville
- vs. UCF
- vs. Rutgers
- vs. Cincinnati
Those last three teams could be switched and swapped with UCONN and South Florida. It's no SEC schedule, per Captain Obvious.
Now, I think the Broncos knew what they were getting into when they joined the Big East - a conference on the verge of complete breakdown or BCS auto-bid. It was a risk that Boise State was willing to take to keep up with the Joneses (and the Sabans). But with Memphis joining the fold, did the Boise State football team join a basketball conference? It's hard to see any other reason to add the Tigers unless Big East commish John Marinatto has been to the future and it is one strange, Memphis-fueled football utopia.
So, has Memphis's rumored inclusion in the Big East changed your opinion of Boise State's move? Comments are welcomed. For me, I knew the move was a risk from the get-go. And adding Memphis certainly does nothing to change that.
Your turn
What does Memphis in the Big East mean to you? What do you think of Boise State's proposed Big East schedule? Share your thoughts in the comments.