Report: Big East Could Soon Lose Affiliation With The Orange Bowl

Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com is reporting that the Big East could lose its Orange Bowl affiliation following the 2014 season to Notre Dame, an SEC team or an Big Ten team. Below is an excerpt.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and Orange Bowl are finalizing a deal that would pit the ACC champion against either Notre Dame, an SEC or Big Ten team starting after the 2014 regular season, sources told ESPN.

The ACC champion, or another team from the conference if its champion qualifies for the national semifinals, will play annually in the Orange Bowl. How the ACC’s opponent will be selected from Notre Dame, the SEC or Big Ten is still being determined.

The ACC and Orange Bowl would have the opportunity to take Notre Dame, if it doesn’t make the national semifinals; an SEC team not in the national semifinals or Champions Bowl; or a Big Ten team not in the semifinals or Rose Bowl.

Now we can just hope and pray that the Big 12 will decide to expand and grab Louisville prior to 2014. If the Big East loses its BCS bowl berth, it will truly be Conference USA 2.0.