Knights mull over different conference options

UCF has a decision to make.

After Associated Press reports surfaced that Big East officials agreed on a plan to invite the Knights (along with Boise State, Air Force and Navy), Conference USA and Mountain West officials quickly announced that they will merge to form a 22-team football conference. The Knights will have to choose between their new-look current conference and an automatic qualifier conference fighting to survive in the BCS world.

Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky confirmed that UCF President John Hitt has been in contact with the Big East. Hitt also participated in C-USA's merger vote.

"I hope UCF will stay," Banowksy told the AP. "But if a school feels like it's in a better situation somewhere else that's OK."

The new-look C-USA's 22-team football league will look to obtain a BCS automatic qualifying bid. The Big East, fresh off a raid by the Atlantic Coast Conference, has only six football schools and is at risk of losing their automatic qualifying bid. Both leagues' futures as automatic qualifiers are shaky, to say the least.

According to the @UCF_FootballSID Twitter account, Athletic Director Keith Tribble said that he has no timetable on when UCF's all-sports entry into the Big East could be finalized and stressed that the move is far from a done deal. Tribble called it "a very fluid situation."

Adding UCF to the Big East would naturally be a good fit for the Knights geographically and will renew the ‘War on I-4' rivalry with USF. UCF will give the Big East another large T.V. market and will give Big East teams a guaranteed trip to Florida, college football's recruiting hot bed, every year. It will also give the Knights a guaranteed shot at a national championship, something they do not have now with C-USA.

UCF's officials have continually said that they are prepared to make the jump to an AQ conference, and will continue to work for the best possible outcome for the Knights.

Regardless of what the Knights choose, their athletic landscape will look very different.

UCF spokesmen were not available by press time. Check back at www.UCFnews.com for up-to-date conference realignment coverage.