Big East in doubt after departures

Syracuse and Pittsburgh, two longtime pillars of the Big East, formally announced their move to the Atlantic Coast Conference Sunday morning, leaving their old conference in danger of crumbling.

There is no clear timetable for the switch because Big East bylaws require a $5-million exit payment and 27 months notice, which might be negotiated. But it leaves the Big East with seven FBS-level football schools -- Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida, TCU (as of 2012) and West Virginia -- and a total of 16 schools competing in basketball and a variety of other sports.

Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti paused when asked on a conference call if the Big East can survive. "I think it can," he said. "It's all about unanimity. Unanimity is the greatest asset any conference can have. That's the one thing that continues to challenge the Big East."

The departure of Syracuse, a founding member of the conference in 1979, and Pitt, which joined three years later, also weakens Big East basketball. St. John's athletic director Chris Monasch issued a statement through a spokesman about the impact on non-football Big East schools, saying: "We are confident in the Big East's tradition and believe in the strong core among its remaining institutions. We know the conference is being proactive and diligent amidst this changing landscape."

ACC commissioner John Swofford said, "I don't think there's any question" that his league would look at Madison Square Garden as a possible site for a future ACC basketball tournament. MSG is home to the Big East basketball tournament, which is contracted there through 2016.

That tournament was the springboard for Connecticut's run to the NCAA basketball title last spring. But as a football school, UConn president Susan Herbst issued a statement saying she will "be actively involved in discussions . . . to ensure the successful long-term future of our university's athletic program."

Pernetti also said it's his responsibility to "continue to be engaged in conversations" with other conferences to protect Rutgers' best interests. "It's a critical time, and that is understating it," Pernetti said. "We're trying to figure out the best possible scenarios."

Now that the ACC has become the nation's first 14-team BCS football conference, change might happen quickly. Officials at Texas and Oklahoma of the Big 12 are scheduled to meet Monday about possible moves.

If those two schools plus Oklahoma State and Texas Tech go to the Pac-12 and Texas A&M is freed from its Big 12 commitment so it may join the Southeastern Conference, Pernetti and multiple Big East sources said the remaining Big 12 schools -- Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri -- all are potential targets for the Big East. Central Florida also is a possibility.

Asked if he's more concerned or excited about the turmoil surrounding the Big East, Pernetti said: "Honestly, I'm excited. I wouldn't lie and tell you people aren't concerned and freaking out. But we do feel excited about the fact that, if things continue to change, we're going to end up in a good position."