Just as it appeared as though the West Virginia Mountaineers were set to leave the Big East for the Big 12 in order to replace the Missouri Tigers, the situation has changed. Pete Thamel of the New York Times reports the odds are now just "50-50" that WVU will be able to move, as the Big 12 is now considering taking the Louisville Cardinals instead.
West Virginia had been so close to joining the Big 12 that it had scheduled a joint news conference for Wednesday with representatives from the Big 12 to announce the move; it has since cancelled that conference, due to the fluidity of the situation. According to Thamel, the race between Louisville and WVU is "too close to call" at present.
Regardless of which school the Big 12 chooses, the result will be disastrous for the Big East, leaving it with only five football schools and thus jeopardizing its status as an automatic qualifying conference for the Bowl Championship Series; the Big East champion is assured a spot in either the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, or Orange Bowl.
For more on the WVU Mountaineers, check out the Smoking Musket.