According to CBS Sports, the Big 12's Board of Directors voted this morning to indeed invite West Virginia to the Conference despite an apparent last minute plea from Louisville to invite the Cardinals instead. The league was split between adding West Virginia or Louisville to replace Missouri, which is expected to leave the league for the SEC.
Missouri still hasn't officially left the Big 12. The Tigers are still negotiating an exit fee to leave the league. The SEC's Digital Network, an official website of the SEC, accidentally posted a story Thursday night that Missouri would join the SEC on July 1, 2012.
If Missouri joins the SEC next season, West Virginia may have to wait until 2014 to leave the Big East for the Big 12.
The Big East has a 27-month notice before teams may leave the league. West Virginia is the latest team to announce its leaving the Big East Conference. Pittsburgh and Syracuse are headed to the ACC and TCU will join the Big 12 next season.
With Big East Commissioner John Marinatto having recently met with Air Force and Boise State, and news that Houston, SMU, and UCF have scheduled Board meetings to consider moving to the Big East, the conference's realignment landscape is taking shape, and though it is a shape of suck, the Big 12's decision to take only WVU means the Big East has hope to retain its prized BCS bid.
Impact on Big East after The Jump:
According to the story:
The Big East wants to get to a 12-team football league and is expected to issue invitations to Boise State, Air Force, Navy, Houston, SMU and Central Florida. That would increase the membership to 11 teams.
Big East commissioner John Marinatto and associate commissioner Nick Carparelli visited Air Force officials on Wednesday and Boise State officials on Thursday.
With the loss of West Virginia, the Big East would need a 12th member. Sources have told CBSSports.com that the Big East's potential Western schools are in favor of adding BYU. It's unknown if the Cougars would be interested.
Temple also is another likely candidate.
The Big East could extend official invitations next week. The league's presidents are scheduled to meet with Marinatto in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
TGIF!