The drama surrounding conference realignment and the Big East conference seems to be revisited on a daily basis with a new wrinkle popping up by the hour. Earlier Wednesday, CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy reported West Virginia and the conference are close to a settlement worth at least $20 million that would resolve all issues between both parties and allow the school to leave the league. The Mountaineers are headed to the Big 12 and have insisted they are doing so for the 2012-13 season. The Big East has previously maintained that they will remain a member in the conference so that there will be eight football members this fall but that is something leadership is apparently wavering on.
The latest twist, according to McMurphy, is that both are working together on an agreement that would let West Virginia out of the league with both parties asking around to see if a future conference member could join this year instead of in 2013. Boise State has been a school that some are speculating could be option number one.
What happens if a school can't come to the Big East-to-West in time? Well, it appears the answer is to play two.
According to The Star-Ledger, one contingency for a seven-team league seems to be schools playing a home-and-home in the same season to make up for the lost game with West Virginia. The highly unusual move could have Rutgers and Syracuse playing twice, with the second game in Yankee Stadium. The Scarlet Knights are set to host the Orange this season if the Big East stays with eight schools.
The paper also mentions that Rutgers is close to finalizing a home-and-home deal with Arkansas, starting this fall. Rutgers would travel to Arkansas this year with the Razorbacks returning to Rutgers Stadium in 2013.
All things considered, if the worst case scenario is a Rutgers-Syracuse double-header this season, they should play the second game at a baseball stadium. At least that makes a little sense.
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