Source: Conference USA To Consider Merger With Mountain West

A source said that the Conference USA BOD will meet later this week "to discuss the possibility of a full-scale merger" with the Mountain West Conference. The source added that the "prospect of a merger was already on the meeting agenda" before news of Memphis' move to the Big East. A merger would consist of "a conference with its current 2013-14 membership of 15 in all sports and 16 in football." Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said that "he's not expecting to lose any more schools to the Big East" (ESPN.com, 2/8).

One source said the possibility of a Conference USA/MWC merger "changes weekly." After Memphis Tuesday announced its departure, C-USA officials "immediately contacted Temple to gauge the Owls' interest" in moving from the MAC to C-USA (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/8).