TCU accepts invitation to join Big East Conference

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/11/tcu-move-big-east-invitation/1

Nov 29, 2010
TCU accepts invitation to join Big East Conference
Erick Smith

The Big East is growing by one. TCU will accept an invitation to join the league in all sports.

The Associated Press learned of the news from a person with direct knowledge of the decision. The story was first reported by AOL Fanhouse.

The Horned Frogs, who are currently ranked third in the BCS standings, would leave the Mountain West after next season and start play in the Big East in 2012-13.

In a release, the school says it will have "a major announcement involving the TCU athletics program" at 2 p.m. ET on Monday.

TCU's addition will give the Big East nine football teams and substantially help its bid to retain a BCS berth. Currently, West Virginia is the only ranked team at No. 24, while 7-4 Connecticut leads the league and could secure a BCS berth by beating South Florida on Saturday.

The Horned Frogs would take "all of their data to their new league," BCS spokesman Bill Hancock told FanHouse.

Bringing in the Horned Frogs has some negatives. It now gives the conference 17 teams for basketball and create some travel logistics as Fort Worth is more than 1,500 miles from New York City.

The move is another blow to the Mountain West, which is losing Utah and Brigham Young after this season. It will be bringing in Boise State this fall, and Nevada and Fresno State in 2012. But the departure of TCU, a BCS at-large team for the last two seasons, will hurt.

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