Assuming ND stays independent

[zymurg]

can they insure that the remaining football schools in the truncated Big East don't opt for some kind of merger with the remaining old Big 12 schools? I doubt it.

If that is the case would ND really want an all Catholic League? Perhaps, but could they opt for a broader league? Such a league could include Richmond and UMass as well as Xavier and Dayton from the A 10. I believe that SJU, NOVA, and Georgetown would be key components of such a grouping. If this is a 10 team league with East and West divisions, Providence and Seton Hall might well be outside.
Even if this were a 12 team two division league, one would assume that it wouldn't have room for both
PC and Seton Hall. Butler would be a desirable Midwest team, St. Louis is also a possibility.

In that case you would have in the West: ND, DePaul, Marquette, Xavier, Dayton, and either Butler or St. Louis. The East would be: St. Johns, Georgetown, Nova, Richmond, UMass and either SHU or PC.

Really the players in this would be SJU, Nova, Georgetown and of course ND. They and not Providence get to decide the future. The Big East is dead.

aka zymurg

 

[IMind]

I think if it were just about basketball they would be fine staying in the basketball "only" Big East... but once the football schools go the level of play in other sports drops WAY off... the Big East baseball conference is over. The only teams left are: St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova, and Georgetown... and maybe Notre Dame if they stick.

 

[freescooter]

I'm not sure Notre Dame wants to be part of a Catholic league for many reasons. They are the best known Catholic school in the country, but don't want to be part of a Catholics only league. And both Xavier (fairly obvioulsy) and Dayton (less obviously) are Catholic schools as is St Louis.

 

[Drumguy]

can they insure that the remaining football schools in the truncated Big East don't opt for some kind of merger with the remaining old Big 12 schools? I doubt it.

If that is the case would ND really want an all Catholic League? Perhaps, but could they opt for a broader league? Such a league could include Richmond and UMass as well as Xavier and Dayton from the A 10. I believe that SJU, NOVA, and Georgetown would be key components of such a grouping. If this is a 10 team league with East and West divisions, Providence and Seton Hall might well be outside.
Even if this were a 12 team two division league, one would assume that it wouldn't have room for both
PC and Seton Hall. Butler would be a desirable Midwest team, St. Louis is also a possibility.

In that case you would have in the West: ND, DePaul, Marquette, Xavier, Dayton, and either Butler or St. Louis. The East would be: St. Johns, Georgetown, Nova, Richmond, UMass and either SHU or PC.

Really the players in this would be SJU, Nova, Georgetown and of course ND. They and not Providence get to decide the future. The Big East is dead.

aka zymurg

Miss your old handle. As a beer lover it was fun to see.

 

[zymurg]

Butler, Richmond, and UMass aren't Catholic. There are other options in the East (Hofstra, Deleware, etc.). It is harder in the Midwest to find schools which are a good fit (solid sports and academics and moderate size) but which are not Catholic. I don't see moving to take schools like Miami of Ohio for a variety of reasons.

aka zymurg

 

[Aftermath USA]

The related question is, "Would the dismantling of the Big East (as we know it) force Notre Dame's hand as it relates to conference affiliation?"