Big East Conference Information:
Headquarters: Providence, Rhode Island
Commissioner: Joseph Bailey
Schools: University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, University of Louisville, University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University, University of South Florida, Syracuse University and Temple University
Bowls: Champs Sports Bowl, Belk Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, BBVA Compass Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Beef 'O Brady's Bowl
Titles: 10 NCAA basketball titles
The Big East Conference consists of seventeen universities located in the Northeast, Midwest and Southwest United States. Only eight of the seventeen schools play football within the conference, and the Big East competes as a BCS conference in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The Big East Conference was founded in 1979, and since its inception, it has been slowly gaining more clout in the football arena. The Big East initially rejected Penn State’s application for admission in 1982, since the conference was more focused on excelling at basketball. In 1995, Notre Dame was offered a non-football membership to the conference, and the school has not played an official inter-conference game to date. However, in 2009, Notre Dame and the Big East have agreed to a series of games, and all eight conference teams will go head-to-head with the Irish.
The Big East entered into the football arena in 1991 with the addition of Miami, and was a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. In 2004, powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference for the Atlantic Coast Conference.