SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego State University is one of five schools expected to join the Big East Conference Wednesday -- at least for football.
SDSU would join Boise State as football-only members of a Big East western division beginning in fall 2013, according to various national media reports, including CBS Sports and ESPN. Both schools would leave the Mountain West Conference, of which the Aztecs were a founding member in 1999.
Basketball and other sports teams would have to find a new league. The Big West Conference is reportedly the most likely destination.
According to media reports, Central Florida, Houston and Southern Methodist universities will join the Big East in all sports, and Air Force is still considering a football-only invitation.
The Big East, the champion of which gains automatic entry to a prestigious Bowl Championship Series contest, has been seeking to refill its ranks since losing West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse to other leagues.
It's unknown how long the circuit will keep its automatic BCS bid.
For San Diego State, the benefits include not just the possibility of being in a BCS conference, but joining a league with a higher media profile, a chance to substantially increase revenues and access to more and better post-season options.
The Aztecs second straight 8-4 regular season record was rewarded with an invitation to the New Orleans Bowl against Louisiana-Lafayette, which is making its first bowl appearance in 41 years. The Aztecs almost didn't make it into a bowl contest even though a large number of BCS conference schools with 6-6 records were picked.
SDSU Athletic Department representatives did not immediately return messages.
