[3card]

I have to respectfully disagree on the effect of the Big East changes.  The BE will almost certainly retain its automatic BCS bid for a long time.  There is a rule by which they can lose it, but IIRC it takes years of being much worse than the other conferences (and Cincy finished #3 in the BCS just 3 years ago).  Given the defections, a decent Boise team could be looking at years of fairly easy Orange Bowl appearances and a great shot at the NC game in years where you don't have 2 big name schools with 0 or 1 loss.  WVU was in the same position and but for a few unlikely losses would have gone to the NC game ahead of (in my opinion) much better teams.  This might have been their year if they wouldn't have joined the B12.

[3card]

I have to respectfully disagree on the effect of the Big East changes.  The BE will almost certainly retain its automatic BCS bid for a long time.  There is a rule by which they can lose it, but IIRC it takes years of being much worse than the other conferences (and Cincy finished #3 in the BCS just 3 years ago).  Given the defections, a decent Boise team could be looking at years of fairly easy Orange Bowl appearances and a great shot at the NC game in years where you don't have 2 big name schools with 0 or 1 loss.  WVU was in the same position and but for a few unlikely losses would have gone to the NC game ahead of (in my opinion) much better teams.  This might have been their year if they wouldn't have joined the B12.