All signs point toward SMU's jump to the Big East becoming official early next week, with the Big East presidents holding a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Central Florida and Houston's boards of trustees and regents met this week to vote to authorize their presidents to negotiate joining a new conference. As a private school, SMU doesn't need to make a public announcement when its board of trustees makes such a move. But president R. Gerald Turner and athletic director Steve Orsini met face-to-face with the Big East leadership, along with officials from four other schools targeted by the Big East on Sunday in Washington D.C. SMU has been confident in receiving an invite for weeks now, but the complex process of adding at least six new schools has taken some time.

Since it now appears the Big 12 will indeed only take West Virginia from the Big East, that's good news for SMU because Louisville remains in the Big East. The league has taken West Virginia's likely departure into account as it worked on its expansion plan of growing to 12-football playing members and retaining its Automatic Qualifying BCS status.

Boise State, Air Force and Navy would join the league in football. SMU, UCF and Houston in all sports. With West Virginia's departure, Temple is a likely option for a replacement, though some reports are floating BYU.

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