Report: Temple likely headed to the Big East in 2012

As I mentioned a little over a week ago, Temple could be headed to the Big East in all sports as early as this fall.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto is reportedly very close to adding Temple as an all-sports member.

Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com is reporting that the Owls are close to joining the Big East as an all-sports member in 2012, as John Marinatto's league is in need of a school to replace West Virginia this fall after the Mountaineers departed for the Big 12. Temple's football team currently competes in the MAC while its basketball program is a member of the Atlantic 10.

The Big East desired Boise State to join the league a year early, but the conference reportedly did not want to provide the Broncos with roughly $10 million that was needed for the Mountain West's exit fee and to have Boise's Olympic sports join the WAC a year early.

The addition of Temple, which was one of the Big East’s original football members in 1991, is a nice coup for the football league after the program was rebuilt by Al Golden, who left for Miami after the 2010 season. Steve Addazio continued to lead the program's surge on the gridiron this past season. The school's basketball program is also a natural fit for the Big East, which prides itself on its strong basketball roots.

The MAC's exit fee is $2.5 million if a school gives two years notice, so it's unknown what the amount will be for Temple, which is providing less than a year's notice. The Owls’ Olympic sports currently compete in the A-10.

Email dave.miller@nationalfootballpost.com or follow me on Twitter at Miller_Dave