It’s official: We have now entered Big East Bizarro World. We are waiting on… Temple? Syracuse has announced the non-conference football schedule is complete with a trip to Missouri. But the real question is what happens to the void left by West Virginia? It’s SMH-worthy that a school booted from the conference in ’04, is being counted on to help the Big East avoid further embarrassment.
This week’s meeting by the Temple powers that be was supposed to bring quick resolution to the ongoing mystery that is the Big East’s football schedule. No one quite cares whether the Owls are partners this year, next or by 2024. But The Electrician needs an 8th team to fill out the football slate. In fact, John Marinatto has guaranteed all existing Big East schools another foe. But Temple is dragging its feet.
“Temple reportedly would have to pay $2 million to the Atlantic 10 to leave immediately and at least $2.5 million to leave the MAC – though that exit penalty is based on giving two years’ notice.”
The idea of playing a rival home-and-home has been discussed. But Darryl Gross has already killed the idea of a home/road split against Rutgers. If you’re The Electrician, you have to help cough up the cash to extract Temple immediately. If it’s only $4.5M, you need to pay the entirety. If it ends up being more, Marinatto should go shake the can at the doorsteps of all the new members. “Hey, Houston, we need a mill. SMU? Give us some of that pretty Fort Worth oil money. Memphis, where do you keep the Coach Cal slush fund?”
The non-con schedule is an exciting one for SU. The MetLife game against USC will be an event, especially for the tri-state alumni. The opener against Northwestern provides a (winnable) test against a decent BCS team. The trip to Columbia provides an SEC opponent in a terrific venue. I worked in Kansas City for nearly five years, and made the 90-minute drive every season to at least one Mizzou game. For the SU fans that make the trek, it’ll be worth your while. Columbia is a classic Midwestern college town, and MU fans are tremendous. They tailgate all day, wave tiger tails from every bumper, then hit the legendary Harpo’s after the game. Gary Pinkel’s Tigers have an exciting, up-tempo spread attack that will also be fun to watch (assuming they don’t put up 650 yards and 70 points against the Orange).¬†
But now we’re waiting on Temple? Pleading with the rotten stepchild we kicked out of the league for being so damn Temple-ish to come save the league from itself? What a mess The Electrician has gotten himself into. If only it was surprising.
Posted: D.A.
