UCF path to BCS could be through C-USA, Mountain West partnership - Orlando Sentinel
Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said in an exclusive interview with the Orlando Sentinel Wednesday the partnership would be limited to football.
"It's an idea that's been being discussed for well over a year now. and I think it's a good idea," he said. "It involves us putting together all of the football assets from both conferences into one new football conference that would span five time zones and involve 24 teams.
"And we will try and utilize that platform to increase the visibility of our programs, drive more market interest in all of the programs and pursue better postseason opportunities."
Banowsky called an automatic BCS bid "a very important part of the equation."
To balance out the potential divisions, the conferences would have to increase from 22 current members to 24. Banowsky said the conference leaders have not discussed whether the teams would be joining the Mountain West or Conference USA.
He said there is no timeline for deciding whether to move forward with the partnership, with both conferences still researching the best possible options. However, Banowsky said the leagues understand the importance of moving swiftly to take proposals to the conference presidents at a time of great movement and instability within college football.
UCF and East Carolina are among the C-USA schools who have stated during the past year they support the idea of helping Conference USA explore all options to earn an automatic BCS bid.
Like more than a dozen universities throughout the country, UCF issued a statement Wednesday promising to pursue the best options for the football program. The Knights' options could include a spot in the Conference USA and Mountain West partnership or a Big East invitation.
"UCF fans should know that the university continues to work for the best possible outcome for the Knights," UCF spokesman Grant Heston said.
Some Mountain West and Conference USA school administrators may be wary of collaborating.
The Mountain West was formed when teams broke away from what they viewed as a dysfunctional 16-team Western Athletic Conference lineup. Many of the WAC leaders who were extremely upset after the Mountain West teams left the league are now members of Conference USA.
"Times change, as we all know," Banowsky said. "And we also learn from history. And I think whatever mistakes were made then can be corrected."
He suggested a partnership that would involve schools stretching from Hawaii to Orlando could be successful because it solely focuses on football.
The conferences haven't settled how exactly the alliance would work and whether it would involve a meeting of the two leagues' regular season champions or select games between members of the two conferences. Conference USA is considering keeping its league title game and petitioning the NCAA to allow the C-USA champion to play the Mountain West champion for a BCS bid.
"Everything on the table," Banowsky said. "We're trying to understand how we can elevate all of our programs and drive more interest. We want something fun for the fans, truly national in scope and that might provide heightened postseason access opportunities."
ilimon@tribune.com or 407-650-6353. Read Iliana Limón's blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/knightsnotepad.
22 Sep, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHx06f0sY7eVisdx0vIDkXbNL1xYQ&url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/os-ucf-bigeast-conference-realignment-0922-20110921,0,7048485.story
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