Talking Bull: Stop me if you heard this one before

So Boise, San Diego, Houston, and SMU walk into a bar

Big East Expansion: Boise State Among Five Teams Reportedly Joining Conference - SBNation.com
Forget BYU, the wheels of Big East Expansion are turning with Boise State expected to lead a major conference realignment in 2013, according to a report from CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy. On Wednesday, the Big East will add the Broncos along with Houston, San Diego State, Central Florida and Southern Methodist University.

Sources -- Big East to announce Boise State, four others joining conference - ESPN
The Big East is set to add Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, UCF and Houston as it begins to rebuild its league, with an announcement expected as early as Wednesday, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Many people will balk at a football only Sand Diego in the Big East. To me though it makes sense. If you're going to put Boise and Houston in "the big east" why not San Diego? Its a nice market, an improving program, and a foothold into California recruiting which is Boise has needed and the rest of the conference might like.

The most well deserved raise in Football this serson

Coach Willie Taggart gets big raise from Western Kentucky Hilltoppers - ESPN
WKU and Taggart announced a new four-year contract on Wednesday that more than doubles the head coach's base salary to $475,000 after he led the Hilltoppers to a 7-5 record, the best mark in the school's three-year history in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Hey Hill Topper fans... Take it from someone who knows... half a million won't keep Taggart around if you win 7 or more games for another year or two.

The one blogpoll I miss!

BlogPoll, Week 15: BCS Rankings Reversed As Oklahoma State, Not Alabama, Is No. 2 - SBNation.com
The BCS rankings may have Alabama No. 2, but the BlogPoll disagrees, putting Oklahoma State second and ahead of the Crimson Tide.

Alabama had their shot. In front of a home audience! SBNation contributors are smart enough to realize that.

Great read on attendance from a Ball State perspective

This is a rather long read but well worth it if you want to understand attendance rules in the NCAA.

FOOTBALL: An empty rule - The Ball State Daily News - Ball State University
Simply, the rule says that at least once in a two-year rolling period, each FBS member must have an average attendance of at least 15,000 at its home games. The first time a school comes up short of the minimum, it enters a 10-year probationary period. If the rule is violated again during the next 10 years, the school receives a one-year bowl ban. If its attendance is still beneath the threshold, the school is dropped to the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA.

Buffalo Basketball

Consistency concto St. Bonaventure when it visits Niagara on Wednesday night. On Saturday, Canisius heads to the Reilly Center to renew its rivalry with the Bonnies.

Zach Filzen Named MAC East Player of the Week - Buffalo Athletics
Thanks to a red-hot shooting effort for the team's two games in the week, senior guard Zach Filzen was named the Mid-American Conference's East Division Player of the Week on Monday. It is the first weekly conference honor of his career.