TCU moving to Big East, starting in 2012
The Horned Frogs are joining in all sports. 'Nova is considering joining in football.
Texas Christian is getting out of future debates about whether the Horned Frogs deserve to be in a BCS game. It is joining a league with automatic access.
The Frogs won't have to be a BCS buster when they move to the Big East Conference, starting with the 2012 season. Win their new league and they will be guaranteed a spot in one of the big-money games.
In the latest restructuring of the college football landscape, TCU's board of trustees unanimously approved an invitation Monday to join the Big East in football and all other sports. The move from the Mountain West Conference becomes official July 1, 2012.
Big East presidents unanimously agreed Nov. 2 to expand the number of football-playing schools to 10. Villanova, a Big East member in other sports, which won the FCS national championship last season, has been considering since earlier this fall the possibility of moving up in classification to join the league. It is expected to give the conference its answer in early 2011.
TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said gaining automatic-qualifying status "was a big factor" in the move and gives the Horned Frogs "the greatest opportunity to compete for the national championship."
The Big East, now with eight football teams, has one of six automatic BCS slots.
"Access got easier, not the road," said Frogs coach Gary Patterson, whose third-ranked Frogs (12-0) wrapped up their second consecutive undefeated regular season and Mountain West title with a 66-17 win at New Mexico on Saturday.
TCU is third in the BCS standings - the highest-ranked non-automatic qualifying team - and is in line for a chance to play for the national championship if Auburn or Oregon loses next weekend. The Frogs likely will play in the Rose Bowl if Auburn and Oregon both win.
"Who would have thought five years ago that the guaranteed fallback position is, you're going to the Rose Bowl, and one loss you're in the national championship?" Del Conte told a room filled with supporters and staff. "We're going to Pasadena, let's get fired up. We're going to the Big East, let's get fired up. . . . It's a great time to be a Frog."
The Big East has schools in nine of the nation's 35 largest media markets and will be adding Dallas/Fort Worth, the fifth largest.
The only current Big East team ranked in the AP poll is No. 23 West Virginia (8-3, 4-2 Big East), which is 24th in the BCS standings. Connecticut (7-4, 4-2) could get the league's automatic BCS spot.
TCU might not have been headed to a BCS game without Boise State's loss Friday night in overtime at Nevada.
The Frogs have won 25 consecutive regular-season games, and 38 of 41 overall. The only losses in that span were in the Fiesta Bowl, and games at Oklahoma and Utah.
With all TCU sports moving to the Big East, it will create a 17-team basketball league.