In the latest twist in the conference realignment derby, the Boston Globe got its hands on a document outlining an audacious strategy for the Big East to keep its AQ berth in the BCS, even after hemorrhaging most of its traditional football programs.
Despite upping its exit fee to $10 million and extending three football only offers (Boise State, Navy, Air Force) and three all-sport offers (SMU, Houston and Central Florida) in the last few weeks, the Big East is still in perilous shape. Many within the conference believe the Big 12 will poach West Virginia to replace Missouri, who are rumored to be headed to the SEC.
The newest plan would divide the conference into four divisions: West, Mountain, Central and Big East.
SMU would be in the Mountain Division, along with fellow C-USA members Tulsa, UTEP and Houston as well as Mountain West members Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado State and New Mexico.
Each division would have a round-robin schedule between its eight teams, with the winners of the four divisions playing each other in a two-week tournament to earn the league's BCS berth.
As of now, this fairly radical change is still on the drawing boards, but it does indicate how far the Big East is willing to go to keep its AQ berth in the BCS.