Big East Expansion: Navy Wants In As Football-Only Member, Eventually

Read More: Navy Midshipmen

The Big East is no longer the bite-sized replica of its bigger BCS automatic qualifier brethren going forward, thanks to an expansion of five new teams, including Boise State, that was finalized last week. That newfound size and stability has Navy intrigued, and the Midshipmen are looking to join the Big East as football-only members at some point in the future, CBS Sports' Brett McMurphy writes.

Navy's fears about the Big East's future prospects have been assuaged, Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk claims: "Our No. 1 question was stability and as of last Wednesday, guess what? There's stability in the Big East." But the Midshipmen have obstacles of their own to deal with, such as the reconfiguration of their slates of football schedules and the development of an exit strategy for their television contracts, both of which will endure as issues until 2018.

Navy would likely play eight conference games in the Big East while retaining its rivalry match-ups with Army, Air Force, and Notre Dame, leaving the Middies with just one game to independently schedule each year.

For more on the Big East, head to Big East Coast Bias.